A former Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary inmate who lost an eye when he says he was hit by a pepper ball fired into his cell has settled his federal lawsuit for $525,000.

James Hunt of Brooklyn, New York, contended he was sitting on his lower bunk in a Special Management Unit (SMU) cell when Lt. Jason Seeba shot him repeatedly through the slot through which food trays are passed and inmates are handcuffed.

Only Hunt's account of what happened Jan. 14, 2016, is available because the settlement in U.S. Middle District Court was reached before the defendants answered the complaint.

This is Hunt's version as detailed in the court complaint:

The food slot opened and the barrel of a pepper ball gun appeared. Without warning the gun was discharged with the ball containing pepper spray hitting him in the right eye.

He yelled that he had been shot and laid on the floor on his stomach in excruciating pain, but Seeba continued firing pepper balls at him, one of which hit him the back of the head.

The shooting stopped, but another guard threw a grenade-type object into the cell that exploded and cut his left arm and damaged his hearing.

He and his cellmate were ordered to strip naked, were handcuffed and told to lie down on the cell floor. The cellmate yelled Hunt had asthma and was having difficulty breathing, but to no avail.

The two remained naked on the floor for about 20 minutes, but instead of taking him for medical attention for his eye he was taken to a room where he was placed in restraints consisting of handcuffs attached to a leather belt and shackles.

Several hours later he was seen by medical staff, whose evaluation was a ruptured globe. He was taken to Geisinger Medical Center near Danville for treatment.

He was told a week later during a follow-up visit he would not regain sight in his right eye.

Hunt, who was serving time for firearms and drug offenses, says he later was fitted with a prosthetic eye that did not fit properly and caused him intense pain.

Pain from his injuries kept him from sleeping at times in prison and he has had ongoing problems since his release in July 2017, his suit stated.

He claimed it was his cellmate who had argued with guards that caused both of them to lose the one-hour period of recreation SMU inmates get daily.

The suit alleged Seeba had a history of using excessive force on inmates and the document cited specific examples.

Besides Seeba, the other defendants were Warden David J. Ebbert, three other corrections officers and the penitentiary.

The Lewisburg Prison Project on Monday made available a copy of the settlement that is not included in the court file.