Some family members of people who died in the city or county jails under scrutiny have weighed in as concerns about custodial deaths are being addressed. The mother of a deceased former inmate said that her son was treated more harshly than an animal. Video from the jail shows him begging for medical help for days on end, appearing to be in unbearable pain. Ultimately, he is seen on the floor in his own waste and paralyzed. At that point, the inmate was told he was only faking his condition.
Allegedly, the aforementioned whistleblower complaint had been filed against the jail where this man died and the timing was crucial because it was just a few days before he died. That complaint, referred to by sources as “key evidence,” was excluded from the investigation.
Complaints about this jail led to a recent reopening of an investigation into jail conditions. The second inspections at various jails uncovered gross violations of the state’s jail standards committed on a routine basis.
The formal review being conducted of custodial deaths in that state is still underway, but some discoveries have been made public. In general, there appears to be a pattern in which investigations routinely either overlooked or dismissed crucial evidence, indicating that custodial deaths might have been prevented.
See Part 1 and this ongoing series.
Jails must uphold prisoners’ constitutional rights. If any custom, policy, or practice is deemed unconstitutional and causes the death of an inmate, a jail can be sued.
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