County officials should also look to divert certain low-level offenders to treatment facilities and detox centers, he said. He was transported to St. Francis Hospital Muskogee and pronounced dead. The first death of an Oklahoma County jailinmate this year occurredWednesday and is under investigation, according to a release from jail administration. A shortage of detention officers and the facilitys flawed design that makes it virtually impossible to continuously monitor each cell have contributed to the problem. This work is essential to a better-informed community and a healthy democracy. The medical unit is located on the 13th floor, a fact that can be problematic in an emergency because of the need to use elevators to get to the ground level from the top floor. The jails poor design makes it difficult for staff to see through every cell door and ensure the safety of inmates. The agreement acknowledged that Oklahoma County did not have sufficient funding to adequately staff or make improvements to jail and would need to ask voters to approve a tax increase or financing. Please follow these terms for republication: * Reporters bylines and photographers credit lines should be accompanied by Oklahoma Watch.. Its actually worse than has been out in public, Calvey, who is running for district attorney, said during a debate hosted by NonDoc in June As I said, the former sheriff was not at all transparent. She was in the jail after failing to appear in court on a drug possession charge. Taylor, who left office in January, said in December that the Department of Justice and county officials met in 2019, when inspectors said they had seen enough improvements at the jail to release the county from the agreement, but wanted to wait until the jail trust took over to ensure progress continued. May 17, 2021. Gregory Davis, 53 (DOB 5-10-68), who was alone in his cell, was found unresponsive by jail staff who were making a mental health check at 9:12 a.m. Thursday, August 12. Thats why you hear more things now than in the past. He believes the detention officers singled him out for the punishment after he rigged the old, faulty lock in his cell so he could walk freely around the jail pod, shower and use a toilet with more privacy than the one in his shared living area. We cant do it without your support. In a 2017 report sponsored by the Priority Criminal Justice Needs Initiative, a panel of corrections administrators, researchers and health care professionals outlined policies that can help reduce inmate deaths from illness and suicide. The Oklahoma County Detention Center has struggled for decades with inadequate funding and staffing shortages. Stillwater, Oklahoma. On the morning of January 6, Ward was found unresponsive in her cell and was transported to a Tulsa hospital where she was pronounced dead 20 minutes following her arrival, according to an incident report the city sent to the state jail inspector. Shes haunted by thoughts that she could have tried to scrape together enough money to post his bond. Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Sheriff Chris Bryant told a reporter for the Daily Ardmoreite that the man had a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and died of a heart attack. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? Many of the charges stem from uses of force against prisoners who left their cells at unauthorized times to shower or use the restroom amid jail staffing shortages. His family sued the Oklahoma Department of Corrections a year later, claiming that prison staff failed to prevent his death. Medical staff continued resuscitation efforts until Oklahoma City firefightersarrived and took over, according to the statement. Jailers reported that German was behaving erratically and suspected she was still under the influence of methamphetamine more than 24 hours after her arrest. We cant do it without your support. Learn about Death Records, including: How to search online for Death Records . Oklahoma Countys agreement with the Department of Justice required it to hire enough staff so that each jail housing unit or pod would have at least one detention officer to continuously monitor prisoners. Somebody will come. And nobody came.. Both of those incidents happened while the jail was still being operated by the Oklahoma County Sheriffs Department, but there are lawsuits related to more recent incidents in the pipeline. Richards was found unresponsive in his cell by staff distributing medicine. 1100 University Avenue Huntsville, Texas 77340 936-436-4910 . Along with our new body scanner, weve modernized intake procedures to better spot contraband. Joshua England, a 21-year-old inmate at the Joseph Harp Correctional Center, died of appendicitis in May 2018 after his five written requests for medical attention were ignored. But cell doors throughout most of the facility have faulty doors and locking mechanisms that prisoners can easily rig to open to move around freely in their housing units and maybe even sneak in an unsanctioned shower. Name: Michael Reagan Jr.Age: 44Died: Jan. 13, 2020Location: Okmulgee County Criminal Justice AuthorityCause and manner of death: UndeterminedWhat happened: Updated story, Jan. 15, 2020: Reagan appeared to be having a seizure in his cell on January 13, according to an incident report jail staff sent to the state jail inspector. In some cases, there were prosecutions of jail staff, and I will point out that is a small minority of people that work at the jail., In the face of mass migration, we can learn from Oklahomas young people, Valentine voting: For the love of democracy, Out of Character: Jenna Miller explores body positivity, queer identity, Last week on This Old Attorney Generals Office, Budget hearing previews the last ride of Mark McBride, sued the county and jail trust over bed bugs, Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority, Interim Oklahoma County Jail CEO Brandi Garner strives to be more communicative, Commissioners designate $40 million for mental health facility near new jail, Maughan: Oklahoma County elected official pay increase unfair to some, 10 unexpected moments our team witnessed in 2022, Change: Embattled Oklahoma County Jail chief Greg Williams resigns, Oklahoma County Jail: Inspection highlights more problems, Williams may resign, You are not welcome: Without shelter, resources limited for Edmonds unhoused, Potency caps, seed-to-sale vendor reboot among Legislatures 2023 marijuana measures, Education roundup: Catholic charter school, property tax mistake, OSDE changes and Epic, House moves education plan: $500 million of new funding, new parental choice tax credit, Legislature has more money to allocate, but Senate sour on House education price tag. It's overcrowded, understaffed and prone to bed bug infestations. The Council for the Study of Community Colleges 2021 Program - Flip eBook Pages 1-50 | AnyFlip. The grand jury investigation is currently being handled by District 27 District Attorney Jack Thorp. Law students, led by professor Madalyn Wasilczuk, compiled data showing 777 deaths across 52 facilities, including state-run prisons, local detention centers, and a . Its fatal if even small amounts are consumed. The Oklahoma County Board of Commissioners announced Joe Allbaugh would fill a vacancy on the nine-member panel, which was created last year to oversee a jail long plagued with overcrowding, inmate deaths . Emergency responders declared him dead on the scene. 0:05. The Oklahoma County Jail saw four deaths in 2020, according to The Frontier, and six in 2019. Cause and manner of death: Suspected death by suicide. When the sheriff had the jail, we as commissioners had a little more interaction. During the public comment portion of Mondays meeting, group member Christopher Johnston called for a federal takeover of the jail. July 28, 2020: As COVID-19 surges locally, 33 inmates and six people who . Though not involved in the investigation, Prater continues to be shocked by the number of deaths at the jail. I think thats led to the increased number of inmates who are dying.. Oldham had Lanes name tattooed on her arm after he died. There were situations in which inmates were abused. Another former jail prisoner, Brandon Newell, said in a letter from prison that Miles and Butler also forced him to listen to Baby Shark on repeat as punishment after he rigged his cell door to open. OKLAHOMA CITY ( Free Press) Thursday, the death of a detainee in the Oklahoma County Detention Center or Jail was the ninth for the facility in 2021. There are about 547,000 people housed inside Americas city and county jails, and, while most of them leave those facilities alive, some do not. Criticism of the troubled facility remains high amid issues with staffing and safety as some elected and appointed leadersadvocate for building a new jail. Nonetheless, on Monday, at a monthly meeting of the jail trust, which oversees the facility, attorney Paula Williams painted an optimistic picture of the DOJ visit. On July 31, the jail announced the death of Robert Dale Richards, 50. Quintana-Lujan told officer he shared a marijuana cigarette the night before, according to the document. What happened: German was being held at the jail after police arrested her on suspicion of public intoxication on the Fourth of July. What happened: A jailer found Mason unresponsive in his cell, hanging from the top bunk with a bed sheet wrapped around his neck. They are maintained and available for public. Cause and manner of death:The state Medical Examiner determined Hetherington died from hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Lowe spent 100 days in a hospital while in custody of the jail. Location: Haskell County Criminal Justice Center in Stigler. Tuell said Ward was involved in no altercations and did not indicate she was a danger to herself. There were 14 deaths at the jail in 2021, according to Oklahoma State Department of Health Commissioner Keith Reed. mail What happened: Tharp was unconscious so someone performed CPR on him, according to a jail incident report. Click this link or the red button below to support our mission. Did we miss an incident or would you like to talk to us about one listed below? The shortage of staff at the jail has contributed to a lack of control over the prisoners there, the man said. They moved her into an isolation cell to detox after she got into an altercation with another inmate. The Buncombe County Sheriff, Quentin Miller, is the head law enforcement officer in the county. Reagan was booked into the jail after being indicted on federal charges on Jan. 10, 2020. He was probably thinking, somebody will come. The Oklahoma County Sheriffs Office reported 254 cases of prisoners assaulting detention officers in 2018. Jail staff then called for medical staff who started resuscitation efforts while calling for an ambulance. The former detention officer agreed to an interview on the condition his name not be published. While being escorted by a detention officer Tuesday about 9:40 a.m. to the video hearing room in the Jail, the officer noticed that Jimmy Bedford (DOB 1-27-1967) did not seem . Blumert said its not uncommon for the county to face lawsuits filed by the relatives of those who have died at the jail, or inmates who have been injured there. Basco was in custody facing drug charges at the time. Cause and manner of death: The state Medical Examiner determined Rhodes died from cardiac tamponade. Nearly 800 people died in South Carolina jails and prisons between 2015 and 2021, according to a new report from researchers at the University of South Carolina School of Law. Ward was last seen sleeping in her bunk that morning, the report states. What that does for the county is we typically have to hire outside counsel, and if we have to settle a case, which we sometimes do, we are spending tax dollars on that when we are found liable., (Correction: This article was updated at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, to correct the age of Andrew Avelar. In the meantime, the current building and its management remain beset by the problems that prompted the need for a new jail in the first place. Officials did not provide the cause of his death. I know I had an attitude but that dude did me dirty.. Oklahoma City Public Schools, which contracts with the jail to provide basic education for prisoners at the jail under the age of 18, says it cant guarantee a minimum four hours of classroom time a day, in part because of low staffing levels and elevators that constantly break down. 631. Six states Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Alaska, Hawaii, and Vermont were excluded from the investigation because their state corrections department oversees pretrial detention facilities. August 11, 2021. Jail nurses performed CPR on the man. Brewer declined to comment on the pending charges when contacted by The Frontier. By the time detention officers arrived nearly an hour . Changing demographics are making it more difficult for corrections administrators to provide high-quality health care. Location: Oklahoma County Jail in Oklahoma City. There were 73 deaths at the Oklahoma County Jail from 2000 to 2019, according to data gathered by Oklahoma Watch and Reuters. The facility has effectively been under federal oversight since 2009, when jail authorities and the DOJ entered into a memorandum of understanding to address ongoing civil rights concerns at the jail. Follow him on Twitter at @_KeatonRoss. Tricia Everest, chairwoman of the jail trust, says the new administration has made positive changes at the detention center, including adding more classes and programs for prisoners and spending more money to provide higher quality food, but changing the employee culture takes time. Both died in the jail last year. Apparently, the third went to central control but was unanswered. Prater said hes hopeful that Thorps investigation will lead to fewer deaths and dangerous situations at the jail, and he added that he doesnt think the planned new jail will necessarily solve the entire problem. Changes in our intake process also help identify individuals who are in need of medical or mental health care. Oklahoma County officials have tried for years to secure funding to build a new jail, with no success. State law requires jailers to visually check on prisoners in their cells at least once an hour, but the guard assigned to the 13th floor that night was busy escorting an inmate to the medical clinic and missed one of her rounds, according to court records. Reagan became unresponsive, the report states. As with many jobs, it takes real-time experience in the field for each person to figure out if he or she is cut out for a career in this field., Prisoners can rig their cell doors open in order to take a shower. 0:04. County jail administrators address inmate death, jail conditions. Brian Cortez Lightfoot, Jr., 26, of Los Angeles, is one of 10 Antifa members indicted by a San Diego County grand jury over a Jan. 9, 2021, riot in Pacific Beach. . What happened: A jailer found Rhodes laying on the floor of his cell, blue and unresponsive after he did not get up for breakfast. We will update this page as more information is . What happened: Jailers were alerted that Heatherington was having a seizure after other prisoners began kicking the dorm room door. Because the Oklahoma County Jails design doesnt allow for direct supervision of inmates at all times by staff, they are monitored remotely by video cameras and during regular rounds through the facility. By: Mike Glover. Updated: Sep 13, 2022 / 06:14 PM CDT. Second-degree manslaughter charges were filed and later dismissed against Turn Key staff in the 2016 death of Anthony Huff, who was strapped to a restraint chair in Garfield County jail for 48 hours without adequate food or water, court records show. A detention officer at the Oklahoma County jail was fired Monday, one day after an inmate was found hanging in his cell. Records show the jail now employs fewer detention officers to supervise prisoners than it did in 2008. With five months left in 2022, this years current total of 12 is likely to grow. That suit cost the county $1.1 million. The inmate, Gabriel Yalartai, 40, died. Reagan again had a medical episode at the hospital, where he later died, Iski said. His cellmate Shaquile Brown is now charged with first-degree murder, accused of using a metal brace from the walking boot to beat Lane to death. The detention officer, Jesse Kight, failed to conduct required checks of the cell during his shift, officials said. Ward told officers upon arrest that she did not feel well, TPD Sgt. Jail administrator Greg Williams and officials for the public trust that oversees the jail says they have had no contact with the Department of Justice since it took control of the facility in July 2020. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. As a nonprofit news organization,The Frontieris funded by tax-deductible donations made by people who support quality journalism. February 27, 2023 (96 years old) View obituary. On July 5, jail administrator Greg Williams presented the jail trust with his monthly report. Among the items discussed in executive session during the jail trusts April meeting were wrongful-death tort claims from the estates of Parker James Stephens and Gregory Davis. 0:04. Oklahoma County Jail death makes eight in 2021 investigation begins. The death was the second one in the week. a doctor declared Gonzales deceased at 4:57 p.m.The cause of death is unknown at this time.Gonzales was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on Oct. 16, 2021. But there are some circumstances behind some of the people that come into the jail who are absolutely determined to harm themselves, and if someone is that determined, it is very hard to prevent that.. Oklahoma County detention officer fired after jail suicide, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Jail staff then . 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