Deaths from Seizures in Jail

Deaths from Seizures in County Jails

Introduction

Deaths from seizures in county jails have become a critical yet underreported issue within the U.S. criminal justice system. Our jail death law firm has handled over the years several cases in which a person died in jail as a result of not receiving medical care for seizures.  Many people held in county jails suffer from epilepsy or seizure disorders.  If they do not receive medical attention, including medication administration, their condition can become life-threatening. The failure of jails to provide adequate medical care has led to numerous preventable deaths.

Understanding Seizure Disorders in Jail Populations

Seizures occur due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain, leading to convulsions, loss of consciousness, or other neurological symptoms. Epilepsy, one of the most common seizure disorders, affects around over three million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many people with epilepsy are vulnerable due to limited access to healthcare, poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse—factors that also increase their likelihood of being incarcerated.  We find these factors common in our jail neglect cases.

County jails house individuals who are awaiting trial or serving short sentences, and they often lack the medical resources available in state prisons. Since people with seizure disorders may require daily medication, close monitoring, and emergency care, jails must have policies to ensure their well-being. Unfortunately, many county jails fail to provide proper treatment, leading to serious injury and death.

Case Studies of Seizure-Related Deaths in Jails

There are numerous cases of people dying in jails as a result of a seizure disorder.  Here are three that garnered some media attention.

1. Case of Matthew Walker (Texas, 2019): Walker, a 29-year-old man with epilepsy, died in a county jail after suffering multiple seizures. Despite his documented medical history, he was reportedly denied his medication. Surveillance footage showed him convulsing in his cell for an extended period without receiving medical attention.
2. Case of Jennifer Davis (Ohio, 2021): Davis, a 34-year-old woman with a known seizure disorder, was found unresponsive in her cell after experiencing a prolonged seizure. A lawsuit filed by her family revealed that jail staff ignored multiple warnings from other inmates that she needed urgent medical care.
3. Case of Anthony Williams (California, 2022): Williams, a 42-year-old detainee, suffered a fatal seizure after being placed in solitary confinement. Despite his repeated pleas for medical assistance, officers dismissed his condition, claiming he was “faking it.” An autopsy confirmed that inadequate medical treatment contributed to his death.

These cases underscore systemic failures in jail policies, practices, and customs, where inadequate medical protocols can turn a treatable seizure disorder into death sentences.  We have even seen a case in which jailers falsified observation records to cover up that a man who was deceased was not timely checked.

Causes of Seizure-Related Deaths in Jails

Several factors contribute to seizure-related deaths in county jails:

1. Denial of Medication: Many inmates rely on antiepileptic drugs to manage their condition. Jails often fail to provide these medications, either due to negligence, cost-cutting measures, or bureaucratic delays.  They also hire third-party medical providers who are in the business of making money through cost savings.
2. Medical Staff Shortages: Many county jails lack full-time medical personnel, leading to inadequate responses to medical emergencies.  In fact, we have filed plenty of jail death lawsuits regarding jails who have no medical personnel at all.
3. Failure to Recognize Medical Emergencies: Jail staff frequently misinterpret seizures as behavioral issues or drug withdrawal symptoms, leading to delays in treatment.  Even then, jails have a constitutional obligation to treat drug withdrawal.
4. Use of Restraints and Isolation: Individuals experiencing seizures are sometimes placed in solitary confinement or subjected to physical restraints, which can exacerbate their condition and increase the risk of sudden death.  When jails choose to use restraints, they must keep restraint logs.
5. Lack of Training for Correctional Officers: Many jail staff members are not adequately trained to recognize and respond to seizures, leading to mismanagement of medical emergencies.  In fact, it seems from our law firm’s experience that few jailers are trained regarding how to treat common medical issues.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, incarcerated individuals have the right to adequate medical care. Courts have ruled that deliberate indifference to serious medical needs constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. Despite these legal protections, many county jails fail to uphold these standards, resulting in wrongful death lawsuits.

Recommendations for Preventing Seizure-Related Deaths

To address the crisis of seizure-related deaths in jails, several reforms must be implemented:

1. Improved Medical Screening: All detainees should be screened for seizure disorders upon intake, and medical records should be reviewed promptly to ensure proper care.  Seizures are very common amoung jail populations.
2. Guaranteed Access to Medication: Jails must ensure that detainees receive their prescribed seizure medications without unnecessary delays or denials.  This should go without saying.
3. Emergency Response Protocols: Facilities should implement clear protocols for responding to seizure emergencies, including immediate medical intervention and access to hospital care if needed.  Private jail medical providers should also have in place appropriate policies for emergency medical treatment, regardless of cost.
4. Training for Jail Staff: Correctional officers should receive mandatory training on recognizing and managing seizures, including when to seek medical assistance.  This training should happen before they are allowed to work in the jail.
5. Increased Medical Staffing: Jails must employ qualified healthcare professionals who can provide 24/7 medical oversight.
6. Independent Oversight and Accountability: External agencies should regularly inspect county jails to ensure compliance with medical care standards, and jails that fail to meet these standards should face penalties.  Some states do this, such as Texas through the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

Conclusion

Deaths from seizures in county jails are preventable tragedies that highlight systemic failures in the U.S. correctional system. Despite legal protections, many incarcerated individuals with seizure disorders continue to face neglect and inadequate medical care. If you had a loved one die in a jail as a result of a seizure disorder, feel free to contact our wrongful death law firm.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.