Man accuses corrections facility, agent of slander

CHARLESTON -- A Kanawha County corrections facility and agent is being sued on claims they slandered a man's name to the Division of Corrections.

Larry A. Leach Jr. filed a lawsuit April 7 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Psimed Corrections LLC and Brandon Dean, citing negligence.

Psimed has provided mental health and psychiatric services for the West Virginia Division of Corrections, West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services and the West Virginia Regional Jail Authority since March 1996.

Leach alleges in the suit the defendant submitted false information about him to the West Virginia Division of Corrections. The suit alleges as a result of the false information, Leach was delayed his parole release and he suffered other damages.

In the complaint, Leach says the defendants submitted reports to the West Virginia Division of Corrections that contained false information about him, including allegations that he had been a habitual user of controlled substances since the age of 15.

"The actions ... were either done negligently, arising out of improper cutting and pasting of other individuals' reports or were done intentionally for the purpose of making the plaintiff look in a more negative light in the eyes of the Division of Corrections," the complaint states."

As a result of the actions, "plaintiff was delayed in his release on parole, was made to look as being in denial to the said West Virginia Division of Corrections and was otherwise damaged," according to the lawsuit.

Leach is seeking damages to fully compensate him for all losses, interest and court costs. He also seeks punitive damages.

He is being represented in the case by attorneys Michael T. Clifford and Richelle K. Garlow. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tod J. Kaufman.

Kanawha Circuit Court Case No. 14-C-683