PALM BEACH, Fla. (KHN) – A patient who, according to police, broke nearly every bone in a nurse’s face, possibly blinding her, is now facing a hate crime enhancement charge as well as an attempted second-degree murder charge.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the nurse was caring for 33-year-old Stephen Scantlebury, who was being treated at Palms West Hospital under the Baker Act, when he attacked her.
According to the affidavit, a witness stated that Scantlebury hopped on top of his bed before jumping on top of the nurse.
That witness fled the room to seek assistance, and when they returned with someone else, the affidavit alleges that Scantlebury was witnessed beating the nurse in the face many times while she was on the floor.
Documents show that when one of the witnesses yelled at Scantlebury, he stopped punching the nurse and fled the room, running through the corridor, down a stairwell, across the parking lot, and into traffic, where he was apprehended by responding deputies.
The nurse was transferred to another hospital in critical condition by trauma helicopter.
Medical personnel claimed that nearly every bone in the victim’s face had been broken, and she would most certainly lose the use of both eyes.
Scantlebury was arrested and medically cleared. According to the affidavit, a third witness stated that Scantlebury had been acting paranoid for the past two days, blaming individuals in his life for occurrences that he had no control over.
Hate crime enhancements, if established, can result in heavier penalties on conviction. They illustrate the defendant’s motivation and the broader impact on the community.
Investigators have not explained why Scantlebury is facing the hate crime enhancement allegation.