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Prison Doctor Called Serial Rapist

ATLANTA (CN) - The federal government refused to fire a doctor who it knew raped male prisoners and patients in its prisons and VA hospital system, an alleged victim claims in court.

James Doe sued the United States of America in Federal Court.

They are the only parties to the lawsuit.

Doe claims he was raped by Dr. Lewis Jackson at the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta in September and October 2011, while he sought medical treatment.

Before working at the Atlanta Penitentiary, Doe says, Jackson had worked for the federal government as a doctor at its jail in the District of Columbia and at a Veterans Administration Hospital in Virginia.

While he worked at the District of Columbia jail, Jackson was accused of raping an inmate, and eventually pleaded guilty to some of the charges, Doe says, citing District of Columbia v. Lewis Jackson, in D.C. Superior Court.

"Dr. Jackson was removed, resigned, or transferred from his position at the District of Columbia Jail as a result of his acts and the allegations of sexual assault, battery, and rape of inmates at the District of Columbia Jail," the complaint states. "Dr. Jackson has now pled guilty to some of his offenses at the D.C. jail."

Doe claims that Uncle Sam and/or its officers "were aware of the allegations of sexual misconduct at the District of Columbia Jail in November 2008."

The complaint continues: "Dr. Jackson committed additional acts of sexual assault, battery, and rape at the V.A. Hospital in Virginia, which acts defendant was or should have been aware of, prior to employing Dr. Jackson in the Atlanta Penitentiary.

"In spite of his history of sexual assault, Dr. Jackson was hired to work at the Atlanta Penitentiary in January 2011. Based on his history of sexual assault, battery, and rape of prisoners and other persons under his care, it was reasonably foreseeable that Dr. Jackson would commit similar acts upon inmates in the Atlanta Penitentiary.

"Further, before the rape of plaintiff, there were other inmates at the Atlanta Penitentiary that were sexually assaulted, battered, and raped by Dr. Jackson."

Doe claims: "Dr. Jackson used force and threats of adverse official action, including threatening to subject plaintiff to punishment and to affect plaintiff's discharge date by official action, to compel the plaintiff to acquiesce in his rape and to the other abuse."

He claims that "Officers, employees, and persons acting on behalf defendants at the Atlanta Penitentiary were told by inmates of these acts. However, nothing was done to prevent Dr. Jackson from continuing to commit similar, wrongful acts."

James Doe seeks $2.5 million in damages under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

He is represented by Craig Cowart of Macon, Ga.

Jackson was sentenced to 2 years in prison in February 2013 for sexually assaulting inmates at the Atlanta Penitentiary, according to The Associated Press.

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