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Mother of deceased inmate files wrongful death case in Georgia

On Behalf of | Feb 11, 2016 | Wrongful Death

Our readers may have noticed that there is a disturbing trend that seems to be rippling through local and national news coverage these days — inmates who die while in the custody of law enforcement officers and county jails. The most explosive story, of course, came out of Baltimore, where riots and looting erupted after a man died in police custody after he was reportedly denied medical attention. Unfortunately, a similar case has also played out in Georgia.

According to a recent report, a 22-year-old man died while he was in police custody in Athens-Clarke County. Now, the man’s mother has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the local government claiming, in eerily similar fashion as in Baltimore, that officers and jail officials ignored her son’s pleas for medical help.

The woman’s lawsuit claims that her son repeatedly told jail officials that he was experiencing symptoms such dizziness and chest pain, but that those officials ignored his requests to visit the infirmary. An autopsy that was performed on the young man indicated that he may have died due to a minor heart condition known as an “arrhythmia.”

The initial reports on this case did not indicate how much the mother of the deceased inmate is seeking in the wrongful death lawsuit. However, whenever a person suffers the loss of a loved one due to another party’s negligence or reckless behavior, financial compensation may be possible if the elements of the wrongful death claim can be proven in court. And, hopefully this is the last instance of an inmate dying while in police custody in Georgia.

Source: redandblack.com, “Athens woman sues county, sheriff after son’s death in Clarke County Jail,” Charlotte Norsworthy, Jan. 29, 2016

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