Patient Beats Nurse with Cell Phone, Leaves Them Concussed—Felony Charges Filed
A 28-year-old man is facing a felony charge after he allegedly put a nurse in a headlock and beat them 13 times with a cellphone at a Nashville psychiatric facility, according to Metro Nashville police.
Jaichai D. Hamilton was involuntarily admitted to TriStar Centennial Parthenon Pavilion, a behavioral health hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. According to the arrest affidavit, Hamilton attempted to leave the facility despite not being permitted to do so. When two nurses intervened to stop him, the situation turned violent.
Hamilton allegedly placed his arm around one nurse’s head and neck before dropping to the ground, pulling the nurse down with him. While on the ground, he reportedly struck the nurse in the head 13 times with a cellphone before staff could restrain him. The nurse was left with a concussion and whiplash from the assault.
Hamilton has been charged with felony aggravated assault on a nurse and is currently being held on a $15,000 bond. Under Tennessee Code § 39-13-116, aggravated assault against a nurse who is performing their duties is classified as a Class C felony. If convicted, Hamilton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 90 days in jail and a mandatory fine of $15,000.
Tennessee’s law specifically enhances penalties for assaults committed against nurses and other healthcare workers while they are on duty. The statute was enacted in response to the growing epidemic of violence targeting healthcare professionals in clinical settings.
Hamilton is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Officers responded to the incident on Wednesday, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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The attack at Parthenon Pavilion is the latest in an alarming pattern of violence against nurses across the country. According to Nurse.org’s 2026 State of Nursing survey, 27% of nurses reported being physically assaulted, including being hit, kicked, pushed, bitten, or grabbed, in the past 12 months. More than half (52%) experienced verbal threats or aggressive language.
Psychiatric and behavioral health settings rank among the most dangerous environments for nurses. Emergency departments and progressive care units also reported physical assault rates exceeding 50%.
Perhaps most troubling is the reporting gap. Only 54% of nurses who experienced a violent incident formally reported it. Among those who did, 40% said no action was taken. Just 9% said they felt supported by leadership afterward. As one nurse noted in the survey, “When you report these things time and time again it’s swept under the rug.”
Nashville-area healthcare facilities have seen multiple violent incidents in recent years.
Nurses should also know their rights. Under Tennessee law, assaulting a nurse on duty is a felony, not just a misdemeanor. That legal protection exists because nurses and their advocates fought for it. The American Hospital Association and National Nurses United both continue to push for stronger workplace violence prevention measures at the federal level.
No nurse should have to accept being put in a headlock or beaten as part of the job. Every incident reported is a step toward making healthcare workplaces safer for everyone.
