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$5 Million Settlement in Lawsuit Over Preventable Death of New Mexico Jail Prisoner
by Matt Clarke
In January 2018, Cibola County, New Mexico agreed to pay $5 million to settle a lawsuit over the death of a jail prisoner who was repeatedly denied medical treatment despite vomiting and defecating blood.
Douglas Edmisten, 50, was arrested on misdemeanor charges and booked …
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- Metropolitan Detention Center Guards Convicted in Sex Abuse Scandal, by Monte McCoin
- Tennessee Sheriff, Captain Arrested for Improper Use of Prisoner Labor, by Kevin Bliss
- Aging Prison Population Finds Parole Elusive, by Matthew Clarke
- Former Guard Who Scalded Florida Prisoner to Death Hired, Fired by Police Department, by David Reutter
- Illinois Ends Medical Co-Pays for Prisoners, But DOC Healthcare Criticized, by Derek Gilna
- Illinois Federal Jury Awards Prisoner $252,100 for Beating and Denial of Medical Care, by Edward Lyon
- Prisoners Face Retaliation for Raising Concerns About Criminal Justice System, by Edward Lyon
- $1 Million Award for Two Women Sexually Assaulted by Florida Jail Guard
- Florida Prisoner’s Suit Proceeds Against Guards for Use of Force, Retaliation, by Dale Chappell
- Vera Institute Announces Increase in Federal Funding to House Former Prisoners, by Derek Gilna
- Prisoner Loses Suit Against Jail Officials for Disclosure of His Medical Condition, by Edward Lyon
- New Mexico DOC Guards Receive $2.5 Million Settlement for Sexual Harassment, by Derek Gilna
- Maine Constitution Mandates “Prisoner Mailbox Rule”, by Mark Wilson
- DOJ Launches Investigation into Abuse at Florida Women’s Prison
- Washington State Prisoners Protest Poor Food, by Edward Lyon
- Class-Action Suit Against CoreCivic ICE Detention Center Allowed to Proceed, by Christopher Zoukis
- Audit Criticizes Milwaukee County Jail’s Contracted Medical Services, by Derek Gilna
- Colorado County Pays $800,000 for Latest Excessive Force Settlement, by Derek Gilna
- Harvard Student Group Advocates for Prison Education, Reform, by Monte McCoin
- Shareholder Resolutions Would Stop Private Prison Firms from Housing Separated Immigrant Families
- Trump Establishes Federal Interagency Council on Crime Prevention and Improving Reentry, by Monte McCoin
- $5 Million Settlement in Lawsuit Over Preventable Death of New Mexico Jail Prisoner, by Matthew Clarke
- Seventh Circuit: Illinois Prisoner Entitled to Retrial After Appointment of Counsel Denied, by Derek Gilna
- Second Circuit: Prisoners Have the Right Not to Snitch, by Christopher Zoukis
- New York Prisoner Entitled to Vegetarian, Dairy Tolerant, Kosher Diet Under RLUIPA
- Book Seller Sued for Defrauding Federal Prisons
- Virginia DOC Called Out for Use of Solitary Confinement, by Kevin Bliss
- First Step Act Passes – Includes Federal Sentencing, Prison Reforms, by Steve Horn
- Guards Face Federal Charges for Smuggling Drugs, Cell Phones Into Idaho Prisons, by Dale Chappell
- Alabama Sheriff Pockets Excess Jail Food Funds, Buys Beach House, Loses Re-election Bid, by Kevin Bliss
- Report Highlights Shortcomings of New York’s Parole Board, by Christopher Zoukis
- $3.279 Million in Costs and Fees Awarded in Wrongful Death Suit Involving Epileptic Prisoner, by R. Bailey
- Settlement in HRDC Suit Against Solitary Confinement of Juveniles at Florida Jail
- Thurgood Marshall, Jr.’s Controversial Position on Board of Private Prison Firm, by Steve Horn
- Ohio County Jail Faces Increased Liability Due to Numerous Lawsuits, by Edward Lyon
- Seventh Circuit Remands Lawsuit Over Book Confiscation at Cook County Jail, by Derek Gilna
- Alaskan Native American Company Profits from Immigrant Detention, by Christopher Zoukis
- Connecticut Passes Law to Protect Women, Transgender Prisoners, by Dale Chappell
- $550,000 Settlement for Detainee Rendered Quadriplegic by Guard’s Excessive Force
- Lawsuits Filed Over South Dakota Replacing Prison Law Libraries with Tablets, by Derek Gilna
- Prisoners File Environmental Lawsuit Against Proposed Federal Prison in Kentucky, by Panagioti Tsolkas
- Alabama DOC Ordered to Remedy Overcrowded, Understaffed Prisons in Mental Health Suit, by Kevin W. Bliss
- $32,000 Settlement in Excessive Force Case Involving Mentally Ill Alabama Prisoner
- A Jailbreak of the Imagination: Seeing Prisons for What They Are and Demanding Transformation, by Mariame Kaba, Kelly Hayes
- $750,000 Settlement for Family of Man Who Died in Illinois Jail, by David M. Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Seventh Circuit Vacates ADA Summary Judgment Against Cook County Sheriff, by Derek Gilna
- Sex Crimes and Criminal Justice: Formerly Incarcerated Sex Offenders Say Civil Commitment Programs Deny Proper Rehabilitation, by Barbara Koeppel
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Eleventh Circuit Reinstates Alabama Prisoner’s Excessive Prison Violence Claim, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eleventh Circuit Upholds Most of Relief Ordered in Class-Action Lawsuit Challenging Unconstitutionally Inadequate Mental Health Care in Alabama Prisons, Oct. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Upholds Denial of Qualified Immunity to Jail Supervisors Who Ignored Detainee’s Cranial Abscesses, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Reverses District Court’s Denial of Motion to Dismiss Some Defendants from Lawsuit Over Missouri Prisoner’s Suicide, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Grants Summary Judgment to Sheriff and County of Nebraska Jail Where Guard Sexually Assaulted Female Prisoner, Oct. 1, 2026
- Federal Court Orders Texas to Admit Incompetent Jailed Defendants to Mental Health Facilities Within 21 Days, Oct. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity to Detectives Who Revealed Prisoner Was Informant, Denies Him Anonymity, Aug. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Holds Federal Law Prohibits County Jail from Forcing Immigration Detainees to Perform Custodial Labor by Threatening Solitary Confinement, Aug. 1, 2026
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds Corrections Department Regulations Do Not Exempt Use-Of-Force Documents from Public Records Disclosure, Aug. 1, 2026
- DOJ Issues Memorandum Over BOP Employees Abusing Their Law Enforcement Credentials to Illegally Purchase Personal Firearms, Aug. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- $700,000 Paid by West Virginia for Jail Death, Claims Against Wexford Health Pending, Oct. 1, 2026. Wexford Health Services, Restraints, Settlements, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Deliberate Indifference.
- $5 Million Paid by Washington for Attempted Rape of Seattle Woman by Mentally Ill Prisoner Released to Halfway House, Oct. 1, 2026. Settlements, Failure to Train/Supervise, halfway houses, Criminal Sexual Abuse, Prison Classification.
- Prisoners At Indiana’s “Speedway Slammer” Settle Conditions Suits for $1.2 Million, Whistleblower Alleges Staff Mistreatment, Oct. 1, 2026. Work Conditions/Safety, Medication, Settlements, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Immigration Detention.
- Iowa Department of Corrections Settles Lawsuit and Agrees to Implement More Reliable Drug Testing Procedures and Fair Disciplinary Proceeding Policies, Oct. 1, 2026. Liberty Interests, Evidence, Drug Testing, Settlements, Burden of Proof.
- Maryland Pays $314,000 for Stonewalling Public Records Requests in Prisoner’s Dehydration Death, Oct. 1, 2026. DOC/BOP misconduct, Water, Attorney Fee Awards, Settlements, Public Records Act.
- Last of Three Oklahoma Jail Death Settlements Totaling $66.5 Million Paid for Fatal Dehydration of “Cookie Queen”, Oct. 1, 2026. Diabetes, Settlements, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Deliberate Indifference.
- $3.75 Million Paid by Wisconsin After Mentally Ill Prisoner Dies of Dehydration, Oct. 1, 2026. Water, Settlements, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Deliberate Indifference.
- $250,000 Paid by Nevada to Former Prisoner Denied Colonoscopy Who Developed Stage IV Cancer, Oct. 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Cancer, Failure to Treat, Settlements, Deliberate Indifference.
- L.A. County Begins Making Nearly $5 Billion in Payouts to Survivors of Sex Abuse in Juvenile Detention, Sept. 1, 2026. Sexual Assault, Staff-Prisoner Assault, Prisoner-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Settlements, Juvenile Offenses/Offenders.
- Florida DOC Rebuked for Seizing Prisoner’s Excessive Force Settlement to Cover Incarceration Liens, Sept. 1, 2026. Summary Judgment, Settlements, Seizure of Prisoner Funds, Trust Accounts, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights.

