"Indians are bad": US man accused of "breaking every bone" in Indian-origin nurse's face made racist rant

A man who allegedly assaulted a 67-year-old nurse, Leelamma Lal, at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital and left her with severe injuries, including extensive facial fractures, a broken collarbone, and brain bleeding will remain in jail as he awaits trail. The ruling was made by a judge during a hearing on Tuesday. After the attack, the accused Stephen Scantlebury made racist remarks, targeting Indians, according to Palm Beach County Deputy Sgt. Beth Newcomb's testimony.

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He allegedly said "Indians are bad" and "I just beat the (expletive) out of an Indian doctor."

The incident, captured on hospital surveillance footage, lasted between one to two minutes. Scantlebury's wife, Megan, revealed that he had been experiencing paranoia, believing their home was bugged and under surveillance. He was a patient at the hospital at the time of assault and was admitted for an issue unrelated to mental health.

Leelamma's daughter Cindy Joseph recalled the horrific incident and said her mother was in such a bad state that she couldn't recognize her. "She had subdural and sporadic bleeding of the brain, the right side of her face was fully fractured. ... She was intubated and unconscious, a lot of bruising in her face and swelling in her eyes. I didn't really recognize her," Cindy said.

A judge denied Scantlebury's transfer to a mental health facility, deeming it premature. He will remain in custody without bond on charges of attempted second-degree murder with a hate crime enhancement.

The attack has sparked outrage, with over 10,000 signatures gathered in three days on a petition demanding stricter safety measures and harsher penalties for assaulting medical staff. Dr. Cheryl Thomas-Harcum, one of the petition's organizers, said, "I looked at Leela. I looked at her as helpless. I looked at her as a woman that had devoted her life to this profession, and at the tail end of her career, she had to sustain something so vicious."

The Indian Nurses Association of South Florida also echoed these concerns, stressing the need for legal safeguards to protect healthcare workers. Advisory board chair Dr. Manju Samuel emphasized the importance of addressing the risk to healthcare workers, citing the lack of specific laws to protect staff.

Leelamma's condition has reportedly improved but still requires ventilator support.

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