×
You have 1 more free article available this month. Subscribe today.
Maricopa County Settles Prisoner Suicide Case for $575,000
Stephan Cervantes was booked into the Maricopa County's Madison Street Jail on May 4, 2002. He expressed suicidal thoughts to the booking officer who wrote "Suicide Watch" on the booking sheet. Cervantes was placed on suicide watch at the jail. However, on May 13, 2002, he was transferred to an unsupervised cell on the 8th floor of the courthouse.
Courthouse workers heard Cervantes screaming for a doctor to help him, but ignored it. Later, he was found hanging in his cell and was pronounced dead.
Cervantes's mother, de facto wife, minor son and minor daughter hired Phoenix, Arizona attorney Joel B. Robbins and Scotsdale, Arizona attorney David J. Don to file a state tort and state law-based lawsuit against the state, the county and various sheriff's office personnel in state court. Maricopa County settled the suit for $575,000.
See: Cervantes v. State of Arizona, Ariz. Superior Ct., No. CV2003-009282.
As a digital subscriber to Prison Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login
Related legal case
Cervantes v. State of Arizona
Year | 2007 |
---|---|
Cite | Ariz. Superior Ct., No. CV2003-009282 |
Level | State Trial Court |
Conclusion | Settlement |
Damages | 575,000.00 |
Injunction Status | N/A |