LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled against a Tecumseh State Correctional Institution inmate who sued the state prisons director and prison staff, saying they failed to protect him during a riot last year.

Robert Clayborne Jr. had protective custody status when inmates gained control of the prison for several hours after an attack on prison staff on May 10, 2015. Two inmates were found dead after order was restored.

Clayborne’s lawsuit said understaffing led to the riot and that staff showed a deliberate indifference to his right to safety and medical care. He says the incident almost cost him his life.

The judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying staff had to retreat to an office in the lobby for their safety and that the prison wasn’t understaffed at the time of the disturbance.