Investigation Ordered In Wrongful Death Of Prison Inmate

The death of a prison inmate is being investigated after the man died while waiting for medical services. Among the allegations made against medical staff, an ambulance was never called to take the man to the hospital and the man was held in a kitchen freezer against his will for some period of time. The prison staff denies both allegations stating that there is no merit to the allegations that the prisoner was held in cold storage. They also claim that they called for an ambulance, but the ambulance did not arrive.

The lawsuit claims that the plaintiff was killed after he was placed in a freezer for an extended period of time. In other words, he was tortured to death. Hospital records indicate he had a temperature of 72 degrees upon arrival, he was cold to the touch, and he was pulseless. While no official cause of death has been determined, it appears to be tilting toward hypothermia.

Attorneys for the sheriff’s office have characterized the freezer allegation as “scandalous” and have moved to strike the allegation from the record. However, given the prisoner’s body temperature, that appears unlikely. Meanwhile, the sheriff’s department has already been caught in a lie. They claimed the prisoner was “alert and conscious” when he left the prison, but video shows him being removed on a stretcher.

Investigation remains ongoing 

The investigation is being conducted by multiple agencies and the sheriff’s department is taking a hardline stance to deny the allegations. However, the facts currently are leaning toward the plaintiff’s claim that the inmate was intentionally tortured to death. If so, there will be several corrections officers filling the vacancy they created. The family has since released 8 surveillance videos. One of these videos shows the deceased naked and being wrestled to the ground. So, there was an altercation.

How will this case play out? 

There is a lot of footage that indicates the decedent was having issues for an extended period of time before leaving the hospital. So, if attorneys for the defendants are out there claiming that the suspect left the jail in good health, it’s probably because they were lied to. Worse would be the idea that the defendants were out there speaking on their own behalf. An attorney representing them probably would not want his reputation tied to a defendant that was going to kill their own case. So, all we know is that the sheriff’s department violated the cardinal rule of being sued: You don’t defend yourself in the media. Why not? Because then you are locked into an argument. If it turns out that argument is false, then you’re a liar. That is precisely how police officers treat suspects whose stories don’t add up. It looks likely they will end up on the receiving end of that treatment.

Talk to a Tampa, FL Wrongful Death Lawyer Today 

The Matassini Law Firm helps injured parties file suit and recover damages from negligent defendants. Call our Tampa personal injury lawyers today to schedule a free consultation and we can begin preparing your case immediately.

Source:

cbs42.com/news/crime/footage-shows-anthony-tony-mitchell-being-carried-out-of-cell-by-his-jumpsuit-at-the-walker-county-jail/