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Private Medical Contractor Wellpath Pays $4.5 Million in Death of Mentally Ill Jail Detainee After Judge Finds It Destroyed Evidence
Loaded on March 1, 2021
by Douglas Ankney
published in Prison Legal News
March, 2021, page 40
Filed under:
Private Contractors,
Medical Neglect/Malpractice,
Mental Health,
Evidence - Destruction/Fabrication/Manipulation of.
Location:
Washington.
by Douglas Ankney
In late September 2020, private correctional healthcare contractor Wellpath paid $4.5 million to settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a mentally ill teen who died from dehydration while incarcerated in 2016 at the Benton County Jail in Kennewick, Washington.
The family’s attorney, Edwin ...
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More from this issue:
- Inside Trump and Barr’s Last-Minute Killing Spree, by Isaac Arnsdorf
- Sequel: Three Additional Federal Executions Before Trump Left Office, by Chad Marks
- Analysis: Federal Executions in Indiana Became ‘Super-Spreader’ Events, by Derek Gilna
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- California Prison System Fined $400,000 For Prisoner Transfers That Sparked Surge in COVID-19, Also Faulted For Easing Restrictions, by Edward Lyon
- COVID Pandemic: Medical Update, by Michael D. Cohen, MD
- Biden to Phase Out Privately-Run Federal Prisons; Critics Say Plan Too Timid, by Kevin Bliss
- Reuters Investigation: Lamentable Medical Care in Jails and Prisons Exposed During Pandemic, by Casey Bastian
- $300,000 Award for Illinois Prisoner in Sexual Assault Claim, by David Reutter
- Second Circuit Upholds New York Prison Guards’ Federal Criminal Convictions for Assaulting Prisoner, by Matthew Clarke
- Last-Minute DOJ Order Clears Way for Possible Return of Home Confinees to Prison, by Derek Gilna
- Centurion Opts Out of Mississippi Prison Medical Contract, by David Reutter
- A Guide To Finding Housing After Incarceration
- New Surge of COVID Is Spreading “Like Wildfire” in Illinois Prisons, by Brian Dolinar
- Arizona Grandmother Sues After Being Jailed and Forced to Drink From Toilet, by Matthew Clarke
- Lawsuit Against Pennsylvania County Over Prisoner’s Death in Restraint Chair Settled for $3 Million, by Matthew Clarke
- Audits Reveals Problems With Privatized Food Service at Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County Jail, by Jayson Hawkins
- Essay: What Spurred the Rise in Mass Solitary Confinement, by David Reutter
- Report: Video Courtroom Proceedings Have Negative Impact on Fairness and Access to Justice, by Matthew Clarke
- No Sentence Reduction for Former Pennsylvania Judge Who Was Caging Kids for Kickback Cash, by Matthew Clarke
- New Mexico Lawyer Fights to End Solitary Confinement, by Daniel A. Rosen
- Federal Court Orders Body Cams Be Worn by Guards in Effort to Stop Abuse of Disabled at California Prison, by Douglas Ankney
- COVID-19 Pandemic Leads to Founding of Congressional BOP Reform Caucus, by Anthony Accurso
- Arizona Supreme Court Overturns Decision Allowing Special Master to Review Recordings of Jail Phone Calls to Attorney Alleged to be Privileged, by Matthew Clarke
- Greedo Still Influencing From Texas Prison, by Jayson Hawkins
- Federal Judge Dismisses Arizona Woman’s Wrongful Conviction Suit, by Daniel A. Rosen
- Victim Compensation and Restorative Justice as Alternatives to Sentencing Enhancements for Hate Crimes, by Douglas Ankney
- Private Medical Contractor Wellpath Pays $4.5 Million in Death of Mentally Ill Jail Detainee After Judge Finds It Destroyed Evidence, by Douglas Ankney
- Nearly Killed by Dehumanizing Culture of Indifference, Oregon Prisoner Sues for $975,000, by Mark Wilson
- Prosecutors Drop Charges Against Florida Prisoner Accused of Assaulting Guard After Video Surfaces, by Kevin Bliss
- ICE Detention Facility Deaths Now Highest Since 2005, by Kevin Bliss
- Pay-to-Stay Fees Impoverish Prisoners, Increase Recidivism, by Kevin Bliss
- Prisoner Art on Display in New York City Exhibition, by Edward Lyon
- Pardoned Nevada Bank Robber’s Story Creates Hope for Prisoners, by Casey Bastian
- CoreCivic Faces Liability for Wiretap Act Violations in Nevada Case, by David Reutter
- Mentally Ill Oregon Prisoner’s “Needless & Preventable” Death From Flu Complications Nets Record $3 Million Settlement, by Mark Wilson
- Sixth Circuit Orders Michigan District Court to Review Prisoner’s Plea for Compassionate Release, by David Reutter
- Mass Incarceration Fueling Spread of COVID-19 in Local Communities, by Keith Sanders
- California Starts Phase-Out of Most State Juvenile Prisons, but Loophole Allows Two to Remain Open, by Douglas Ankney
- Ohio Supreme Court Orders Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to Revise Calculation of Prisoner’s Sentence, by Matthew Clarke
- Nevada Reduces Share of Prisoners’ Money That Can be Taken for Restitution, by Daniel A. Rosen
- California Sheriff Hid Number of Deaths in Sacramento County Jails, by Kevin Bliss
- As Prisoners Die, Washington Officials Resist Reform, by Mark Wilson
- California’s San Quentin and Folsom Prisons Hardest-Hit by COVID-19, by Edward Lyon
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules Prisoners Can Challenge Deductions Taken From Their Accounts, by David Reutter
- Mississippi Department of Corrections Lifts Smoking Ban at its Prisons, by Keith Sanders
- Second Circuit Court of Appeals Partly Overturns New York District Court, Allows Prisoner’s PREA Violations Claims to Proceed, by David Reutter
- Minnesota Counties Pay Out More Than $10 Million For Prison and Jail Settlements, by Kevin Bliss
- Data: Families of Arizona Prison Guards Suffer High Rates of Domestic Violence, by Edward Lyon
- Federal Court Finds Missouri Parole System Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
- New Allegations of Abuse and Sexual Assault at Edna Mahan Women’s Prison in New Jersey, by Kevin Bliss
- Successive Corruption Scandal Rocks Mississippi Prison System, by Edward Lyon
- News in Brief
More from Douglas Ankney:
- Third Circuit Upholds Award of $265,000 to Prisoner Who Was Sexually Assaulted Twice by the Same Guard, Aug. 1, 2025
- Fifth Circuit Announces When Initial § 2255 Petition Not Decided on Merits and Appeals Court Later Recalls Mandate Dismissing Direct Appeal and Affirms Conviction, Subsequent § 2255 Petition Not ‘Second or Successive’ Under AEDPA, Aug. 1, 2025
- $340,000 for Former Massachusetts Prisoner Whose Baby Was Stillborn, July 15, 2025
- New Jersey Supreme Court Refuses Guard’s Challenge to Firing for Failing to Report Kiss with Prisoner, July 15, 2025
- New York City Loses Bid to Withhold Jail Records, July 15, 2025
- Eleventh Circuit Announces New Deliberate Indifference Framework in Dismissing Georgia Prisoner’s Claim for Skipped Anti-Seizure Meds, July 15, 2025
- Washington Jail Settles DOJ Allegations of ADA Noncompliance in Failure to Treat Opioid Use Disorder, July 15, 2025
- Ohio Supreme Court Says Sheriff Must Get and Disclose Records of Private Contractors, July 15, 2025
- Third Circuit Rejects U.S. Sentencing Commission Amended Compassionate Release Policy, July 15, 2025
- South Carolina Prisoners Granted Class-Action Status in Suit Over Low Wages in Prison Industries Jobs, July 15, 2025
More from these topics:
- PLN Publisher Wins Settlement Records from Centurion in Florida Prisoner’s Wrongful Death, Aug. 1, 2025. Centurion, Systemic Medical Neglect, Medical Records, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Public Records Act, HRDC Litigation.
- HRDC Wins $480,000 in Legal Fees from Centurion for Denied New Mexico Records, Aug. 1, 2025. Centurion, Systemic Medical Neglect, Medical Records, Misdiagnosis, Failure to Treat, Malpractice, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Public Records Act, HRDC Publications, HRDC Litigation.
- CDCR Held in Contempt, Fined $112 Million in Longstanding Litigation Over Mental Health Care, Aug. 1, 2025. Staffing, Mental Health, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides.
- $1.875 Million Partial Settlement for Colorado Detainee’s Death from Untreated Alcohol Withdrawal; Claims Against Wellpath Pending Bankruptcy, Aug. 1, 2025. Systemic Medical Neglect, Drug/Alcohol Withdrawal, Failure to Treat, Medical Neglect/Malpractice.
- Lawsuits Filed After Fatal Assault on Elderly Prisoner at Kentucky Jail, July 15, 2025. Classification, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Medical Neglect/Malpractice.
- $340,000 for Former Massachusetts Prisoner Whose Baby Was Stillborn, July 15, 2025. Systemic Medical Neglect, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Children of Prisoners, Parent/Child Privilege.
- Tenth Circuit Upholds Nearly $8.8 Million Judgment for Utah Jail Death, June 1, 2025. Injury -- Misc., Drug/Alcohol Withdrawal, Medical Neglect/Malpractice.
- New Mexico Watchdog Group Sues for Video Allegedly Showing Jailers Killing Detainee, June 1, 2025. Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Public Records Act.
- Mississippi DOC Issues Almost $300 Million in No-Bid Contracts to VitalCore Health, June 1, 2025. Private Contractors.
- Oklahoma Supreme Court Kills One Jail Death Suit, Threatening Settlement of Another, June 1, 2025. Systemic Medical Neglect, Private Contractors, Medical Neglect/Malpractice.