Following a Lake County Jail inmate's beating, paralysis and ultimate death, his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit that has now resulted in a $1.95 million award, as reported by the Daily Herald.
E.G., 51, died in March 2012 – approximately four months after the beating.
The million-dollar award was approved by the Lake County Board's financial and administrative committee.
Sheriff M.C. commented to reporters, "I would like to apologize to the family of (E.G.) I'm sad for the loss of his life. I would also like to apologize to the citizens of Lake County."
The wrongful death lawsuit was filed by E.G.'s sister E.S. three weeks after he died. The defendants were listed as the county, M.C. and specific workers at the jail.
There is a continuing lawsuit against employees with Corrective Care Solutions. The employees with that company were named as they handled E.G.'s injuries while he was still jailed.
It all began on October 31, 2011 when a sheriff's deputy arrested E.G. for disorderly conduct and trespassing. Once E.G. was in the jail authorities said he was combative and uncooperative.
While being processed E.G. was beaten, which resulted in neck injuries.
According to the lawsuit the injuries to E.G.'s neck were enough to have caused him to become paralyzed. The day after the beating E.G. exhibited signs that he was injured, however, he was left to languish for another day. Then, two days after the beating he was taken to a hospital and diagnosed with a spinal injury.
According to Undersheriff R.R. the employees involved in E.G.'s beating are still employed in the jail. Now that the lawsuit has been settled investigators can commence to interview the employees. R.R. said, "We all need to get to the bottom of it."
This is not the first time that an inmate has died – the first was in 2012 when an autopsy revealed that L.G. died of dehydration and malnourishment after a self-imposed hunger strike.
L.G.'s relatives also filed a wrongful death lawsuit that named both jail administrators and the sheriff for ignoring her apparent mental illness and denying her the appropriate medical care she needed. The case is still pending.
R.R. said that both deaths are now under investigation and a report is expected to be available within the next two months.
Both Sheriff M.C. and R.R. insist that their department has taken the necessary steps to insure inmates are not harmed: policy reviews, inspections and training on the use of force, as well as providing cameras for officers and on prisoner restraint chairs.
The county will pay approximately $1.8 million of the settlement, the balance will be paid by the county's insurance. A.L., the Lake County Board Chairman, commented that the payout "is in the best interests of Lake County and the taxpayers."
Can you imagine your loved one being injured, resulting in death, while in jail? What about being killed in any scenario that someone else is responsible for? If this has happened to your loved one contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case right away!