Federal Court Denies Potter County’s Request to Dismiss Jail Death Lawsuit

Federal Court Denies Potter County’s Request to Dismiss Jail Death Lawsuit

For Immediate Release

Amarillo, Texas – 8/13/2024

26-year-old Larry Douglas, Jr. was incarcerated in the Potter County jail in Amarillo. Larry suffered for days on end, vomiting and not eating.  He experienced severe abdominal pain, sweating, and chills.  Other jail detainees asked for help for Larry numerous times, but EMS was not called, and Larry continued to suffer.  One jailer told one or more other employees that she thought that Larry was suffering with appendicitis.  Still, nobody transported Larry to a hospital for needed treatment.

After days on end of suffering, with no end in sight, Larry was ultimately left in a single-person cell, for “observation,” until a nurse practitioner could arrive the next day.  Larry did not need a nurse practitioner or mere “observation.”  Larry needed transport to a local hospital for ruptured appendix surgery.  Predictably, after Larry suffered for hours on end in that cell, continuing the vomiting that had been ongoing for days, and without anyone entering the cell to provide care, Larry died alone.  Only then did anyone enter the cell and try to provide care.  It was too late.

Constitutional rights lawyer Dean Malone represents family members and filed a federal lawsuit in Amarillo against Potter County. Potter County Judge Tanner, when speaking with news media, said that she hated the family had to go through what happened, and that she was sure that Potter County would come up with an equitable amount to resolve the case. However, Potter County instead retained outside counsel and filed a motion to dismiss the federal lawsuit.

Mr. Malone’s office filed a response to the dismissal motion. The federal court denied Potter County’s motion, refusing to dismiss the case. A copy of the court’s order denying Potter County’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit is attached to this press release.

Mr. Malone said, “It is hard to imagine a more horrific way in which to die, considering that Larry was a young man and medical care was just a short drive away. Potter County unfortunately tried to have the case dismissed instead of taking responsibility for Larry’s death and appropriately settling the case.  It appears that we will need a jury’s decision as to what is right.”

Order Denying Potter County Motion to Dismiss in Jail Death Case (deanmalonelawfirm.com)

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.