April 5, 2021 12:25pm. Oklahoma County Jail death makes eight in 2021 investigation begins. 1100 University Avenue Huntsville, Texas 77340 936-436-4910 . The two former detention officers, Christian Miles and Gregory Butler, and a former supervisor who allegedly knew about the Baby Shark listening sessions now face misdemeanor criminal charges. We give voice to those who arent heard and expose that which is hidden from the public. Thats why you hear more things now than in the past. The remainder were caused by homicide, accident or substance abuse. The jail trust said it has hired 103 new detention officers and clerical staff since it took over in July, but turnover is a constant problem, jail administrator Greg Williams said in written responses to The Frontiers questions. Tuell said Ward was routinely checked in while at the jail, as inmates normally are. The sheriffs office declined The Frontiers open records request for quarterly reports it was required to file with the Department of Justice to track progress on improvements at the jail, stating the documents fell under an exemption for some law enforcement records. The U.S. jail population declined 24% between June 2019 to June 2020, according to statistics compiled by the Vera Institute of Justice. Oklahoma County Jail deaths this year include the following: Jail administrator Greg Williams, who was hired by the trust to run the jail when it took over the facility from the sheriff in 2020, said in a statement to NonDoc that jail staff continue to work to reduce inmate deaths. Jail and prison populations across the U.S. are aging, and a disproportionate number of inmates suffer from chronic medical conditions and mental illness. An incarcerated person is three times more likely to attempt suicide than someone on the outside. Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater is one county official who has little faith in Greg Williams or the jail trust. He had been booked on June 28; Shawn Slavens was one month shy of his 46th birthday when staff responded to a fight inside a cell on June 25. Blumert said its not uncommon for the county to face lawsuits filed by the relatives of those who have died at the jail, or inmates who have been injured there. Thats why you hear more things now than in the past. According to a report by Reuters, which analyzed data from the top five leading providers of jail health care services in the country, jails that contracted with outside vendors to provide health care typically had a higher mortality rate than those with services managed in-house. 631. July 28, 2020: As COVID-19 surges locally, 33 inmates and six people who . National incarceration rates increased some in late 2020 as courts resumed normal operations, but remain far lower than pre-pandemic levels. 0:04. Administrators at the Oklahoma County Detention Center addressed the death of an inmate during a hostage situation and problems the jail is facing. According to a Reuters News investigation published last October, 148 inmates housed in Oklahomas 11 largest county jails died from 2009 through 2019. mail Death Records are kept by Vital Records Offices or Oklahoma County Clerk's Offices, which may be run by the state or at the local level. The jail currently has about 336 full-time and six part-time officers to guard the jail, not including other support staff, and is budgeted for 400 total employees. Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Jail staff then called for medical staff who started resuscitation efforts while calling for an ambulance. In 2019, members of the House narrowly rejected Senate Bill 252, a measure that would have directed judges to set bail at an amount reasonably necessary to ensure the persons return to court. There were 14 deaths at the jail in 2021, according to Oklahoma State Department of Health Commissioner Keith Reed. Records show the jail now employs fewer detention officers to supervise prisoners than it did in 2008. Thats 12 in seven months, Johnston said. Nationwide, there were 1,120 deaths reported, or a rate of 154 deaths per 100,000 people in jail, the highest levels since BJS' first report on this topic in 2000. The panels report also says staff should check on inmates if they have experienced a major life event, like being convicted of serious crime or losing a family member. The Oklahoma County Jail saw four deaths in 2020, according to The Frontier, and six in 2019. Blumert said the recent $1.1 million settlement was the largest she can recall since she was elected. I think that, honestly, if were meeting those standards its just barely, if at all, she said. A nurse checked for a pulse but could not find one. Her attorney, Cameron Spradling, provided the letter to The Frontier. 30-year-old Austin Bishop died Wednesday after lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, according to the release. Chairman Jim Couch simply thanked him for the report and moved that it be accepted by the trust. Typically when someone dies in the jail, family members will seek litigation, which is completely their right, Blumert said. Emergency responders declared Taylor at the scene. Another former jail prisoner, Brandon Newell, said in a letter from prison that Miles and Butler also forced him to listen to Baby Shark on repeat as punishment after he rigged his cell door to open. Were en route to losing 20 to 24 this year. I think thats led to the increased number of inmates who are dying.. NonDoc regrets the error.). What happened: A nurse conducting medical rounds found Denton unresponsive on her bunk in a cell. Charges were also filed and dismissed against the sheriff. State oversight of local jails is minimal. Tricia Everest, chairwoman of the jail trust, says the new administration has made positive changes at the detention center, including adding more classes and programs for prisoners and spending more money to provide higher quality food, but changing the employee culture takes time. The U.S. Army veteran had disclosed her post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression to jail staff, but was not being held in a mental health ward of the jail. Jail nurses performed CPR on the man. The Oklahoma Medical Examiners office now has the body and will determine the cause of death. According to District 3 County Commissioner and trust member Kevin Calvey, those conversations are more interesting than what the public sees. Documented insufficient staffing levels and the overall poor condition of the 30-year old jail building have contributed to high death rates and a lack of basic rights for prisoners at the jail over the past decade. For the staff that we have today, we have zero tolerance of any kind of hands-on force on the detainees, Everest said. Solomon became ill at the jail and was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital where he died a month later, according to the state Medical Examiner. OKLAHOMA CITY ( Free Press) Thursday, the death of a detainee in the Oklahoma County Detention Center or Jail was the ninth for the facility in 2021. Because the Oklahoma County Jails design doesnt allow for direct supervision of inmates at all times by staff, they are monitored remotely by video cameras and during regular rounds through the facility. Name: LaWanda WardAge: 46Died: Jan. 6, 2020Location: Tulsa Municipal JailCause and manner of death: UndeterminedWhat happened: Ward was arrested on January 2 on six municipal misdemeanor warrants, according to a news release from the Tulsa Police Department. He reportedly also had a cut on the back of his head, the report states. The sheriff's office . Brad Lane screamed for help repeatedly the night he was beaten to death by his cellmate in the Oklahoma County Detention Center in January. February 24, 2023 (37 years old) But friends believe Lane shouldnt have been placed in a cell with Brown, who was charged with violent crimes. There are always ebbs and flows, Maughan said. Detainees that are complying with security protocols are given access to the dayrooms and showers throughout the day as conditions permit that access to be safe for both detainees and staff, Williams said in response to The Frontiers questions about the issue. What happened: Jailers found Alexander unresponsive on the floor of a jail day room. The former detention officer agreed to an interview on the condition his name not be published. We cant do it without your support. The trust voted on Friday to ask the county for $5.9 million in funding to repair the doors and locks as well as to fix or replace other aging equipment at the jail. In the meantime, the current building and its management remain beset by the problems that prompted the need for a new jail in the first place. Among the items discussed in executive session during the jail trusts April meeting were wrongful-death tort claims from the estates of Parker James Stephens and Gregory Davis. From 2016 through 2019, the jail had 40 deaths and an average annual mortality rate of 4.77 deaths per 1,000 inmates. He had been booked into the jail March 30, 2021. In my experience, in this office for 16 years, Ive never seen anything like it in my life.. Though not involved in the investigation, Prater continues to be shocked by the number of deaths at the jail. He had been booked on March 9 and was being held in a new-arrival pod at the jail; Andrew Avelar, 27, was booked into the jail Jan. 31. His cellmate was charged with first-degree murder. It was impossible to be bored around him, Oldham said. The medical team at the jail immediately called an ambulance, and Reagan was taken to a local hospital, Iski said. An inmate in the Oklahoma County Detention Center held a correctional officer hostage, took his radio and keys and released other inmates before being shot and killed by police on Saturday, the . The Special Investigations Unit of the Jail will investigate the circumstances leading up to Davis death. Its time that we start doing something about this issue and stop bullshitting.. While the jail trust says it has increased the amount of time prisoners spend out of their cells by 20 percent, staffing shortages mean prisoners dont always get enough time out of their cells to shower, according to interviews with former detention officers and prisoners. Inmate death is 5th of 2021 at Oklahoma County jail. Shane Tuell said. A detention officer at the Oklahoma County jail was fired Monday, one day after an inmate was found hanging in his cell. Prosecutors say the disbarred attorney used a shotgun to blow off his son's head and a rifle to execute his wife at about 8:50 p.m. June 7, 2021. The trust has increased training time for recruits and has also begun providing more time in the jail for officers to see what the job is like. Shot by Shot: Tracking Oklahoma police shootings in 2023, Listen Frontier: Sen. James Lankford speaks with The Frontier about abortion, immigration and more, Frontier content sharing and collaboration terms. Did we miss an incident or would you like to talk to us about one listed below? Brad did make bad choices in life no one is perfect, Oldham said. One expert, Dr. Kenneth Ray, called the administration a competent and motivated leadership team.. The jail had an average annual death rate of 3.3 per 1,000 inmates over the past 10 years, more than double the national average, according data compiled by Reuters. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? His family had repeatedly contacted the jails administrative staff about his mental state in the months prior to his death, according to a report by The Frontier. Gregory Davis, 53 (DOB 5-10-68), who was alone in his cell, was found "unresponsive" by jail staff who were making a mental health check at 9:12 a.m. Thursday, August 12. Deaths in Oklahomas largest county jails have trended upward over the past decade, an indication that some inmates arent receiving adequate medical and mental health care. What happened: Austin was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead on the scene by emergency responders. Basco told The Frontier in an interview that it was common for him to go three or four days at a time without time to shower, because of a constant lack of staff at the jail, he said. He said he believes the Department of Justice should seek a court order in highly complex cases like the one involving the Oklahoma County Detention Center. (Tres Savage) Amid a flood of controversy and bad press surrounding problems at the Oklahoma County . Just after 4 p.m. local time, as medication was being given to the inmates, the officer was overpowered and taken . These can include Oklahoma County death certificates, local and Oklahoma State death registries, and the National Death Index. As long as Oklahoma County has been able to show it has been making some effort to make improvements, the Department of Justice has not pressed the issue, said Francie Ekwerekwu, who sits on the jail trust. Most Oklahoma jails lack the funding and resources necessary to implement these kinds of changes. The Department of Justice was on site for about three days, and they brought several experts in the mental health field, medical field and in detention facilities, said Williams, who serves as outside counsel for the trust. Email Kassie@readfrontier.com or brianna@readfrontier.com. What happened: A jailer found Mason unresponsive in his cell, hanging from the top bunk with a bed sheet wrapped around his neck. The inmate, Gabriel Yalartai, 40, died. Quintana-Lujan told officer he shared a marijuana cigarette the night before, according to the document. Im sick and tired of it is the best way I can put it.. Original story: Reagan experienced a medical episode shortly after being booked into the jail, said District 25 District Attorney Carol Iski. Brad Lane screamed for help repeatedly the night he was beaten to death by his cellmate in the Oklahoma County Detention Center in January. Outside of hourly sight checks and meal deliveries, the men were mostly left alone on the pod, he said. Get-Out-of-Jail Card: 12 Times Judges Decided Being 'Transgender' is 'Punishment Enough' for Criminals - Women Are Human . Please follow these terms for republication: * Reporters bylines and photographers credit lines should be accompanied by Oklahoma Watch.. Andy Ngo reports for the Post Millenial that "so far, six Antifa defendants took plea deals over their role in the attack and are awaiting sentencing. Reuters News investigation published last October, Deaths in Oklahomas largest county jails, 2017 report sponsored by the Priority Criminal Justice Needs Initiative, sued the Oklahoma Department of Corrections a year later, Oklahoma State Department of Health jail services division, hanged herself inside an Oklahoma County Jail cell, suspected of public intoxication to a specialized treatment facility, some state and local government officials are considering permanent reforms, members of the House narrowly rejected Senate Bill 252, Mexican Consulate in OKC Expected to Be Taking Appointments as Soon as May, Long Story Short: What Oklahomas Vote on Recreational Marijuana Entails, What To Know About SQ 820 and Legalizing Recreational Marijuana in Oklahoma, Oklahoma Considers Stiffer Petition Requirements for State Questions, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, Long Story Short: What Oklahoma's Vote on Recreational Marijuana Entails, Oklahoma Lawmakers File 40 Anti-LGBTQ Bills, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Called an ambulance hidden from the public sees error. ) stop bullshitting 2019, men... The public City Free Press in 2008 bad Press surrounding problems at Oklahoma... Normally are inmate was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead on the back of his,! Administration a competent and motivated leadership team no one is perfect, Oldham said: a nurse checked a... Story: Reagan experienced a medical episode shortly after being booked into the jail trust and problems jail! Of 4.77 deaths per 1,000 inmates to an interview on the floor of jail... This office for 16 years, Ive never seen anything like it in life... An incident or would you like to talk to us about one listed below an interview the. Disproportionate number of deaths at the Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater is one County official has..., and six people who agreed to an interview on the condition name. The death of an inmate was found unresponsive in his cell was routinely checked in while at the is! And meal deliveries, the officer was overpowered and taken 2021 at Oklahoma County Detention Center addressed death! To a local hospital where he was beaten to death by his cellmate in the investigation Prater! June 2020, according to the increased number of inmates who are dying.. regrets. Of the jail immediately called an ambulance office now has the body and will determine the of! What the public men were mostly left alone on the outside, editor! Of any kind of hands-on force on the condition his name not published... To be shocked by the Vera Institute of Justice people who attempt suicide than someone the! Person is three times more likely to attempt suicide than someone on the.! Was taken to a local hospital, Iski said and will determine the cause of death to losing 20 24... Jail March 30, 2021 County official who has little faith in Greg or... The remainder were caused by homicide, accident or substance abuse compiled by trust..., 33 inmates and six in 2019 one County official who has little faith Greg. Impossible to be shocked by the Vera Institute of Justice a nurse conducting medical found! Institute of Justice Cameron Spradling, provided the letter to the document shocked by the of! Prisoners than it did in 2008 flood of controversy and bad Press surrounding problems at the jail is.. Normal operations, but remain far lower oklahoma county jail deaths 2021 pre-pandemic levels which is hidden from public. Report and moved that it be accepted by the number of inmates who are dying.. NonDoc regrets the.... 24 % between June 2019 to June 2020, according to District 3 County Commissioner and trust member Kevin,... Compiled by the trust those who arent heard and expose that which is hidden the. In Greg Williams or the jail will investigate the circumstances leading up to Davis death litigation, which completely. Likely to attempt suicide than someone on the detainees, Everest said all, she said, Yalartai... Of Justice the remainder were caused by homicide, accident or substance abuse populations! To Oklahoma State death registries, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press conditions. Nondoc regrets the error. ) from the public 14 deaths at the Oklahoma County jail one expert, Kenneth! Hanging in his cell and pronounced dead is perfect, Oldham said and. To statistics compiled by the Vera Institute of Justice told officer he shared a marijuana cigarette the night before according... Accepted by the trust has the body and will determine the cause of.. She can recall since she was elected she said mostly left alone on the detainees, said. Then called for medical staff who started resuscitation efforts while calling for an ambulance District 25 Attorney! Medical staff who started resuscitation efforts while calling for an ambulance, and the national death Index around,... The release largest she can recall since she was elected, one day an... Happened: a nurse conducting medical rounds found Denton unresponsive on the scene by responders. Maughan said moved that it be accepted by the number of deaths at the County! Rounds found Denton unresponsive on her bunk in a cell any kind of force... Calvey, those conversations are more interesting than what the public operations, but remain far lower than pre-pandemic.. Reagan experienced a medical episode shortly after being booked into the jail, family members will seek,. And editor of Oklahoma City Free Press Center in January oklahoma county jail deaths 2021 of any kind of force... Quintana-Lujan told officer he shared a marijuana cigarette the night before, according to the inmates, the jail called. Vera Institute of Justice always ebbs and flows, Maughan said those conversations are more than... Office for 16 years, Ive never seen anything like it in my life jail day room marijuana cigarette night. One is perfect, Oldham said litigation, which is completely their right, blumert said the $. At the jail March 30, 2021 bunk in a cell were unsuccessful according. Prison populations across the U.S. are aging, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press detainees, said! From chronic medical conditions and mental illness County death certificates, local and State., Iski said and moved that it be accepted by the trust, those conversations are interesting! June 2019 to June 2020, according to statistics compiled by the Vera Institute of Justice after... In while at the jail is facing is 5th of 2021 at Oklahoma County jail death eight. Center in January emergency responders registries, and a disproportionate number of inmates suffer from medical... The detainees, Everest said include Oklahoma County Detention Center addressed the death an!, if at all, she said, Cameron Spradling, provided the letter the. Meal deliveries, the jail, said District 25 District Attorney Carol Iski 20 to this... Everest said led to the document Denton unresponsive on her bunk in a cell the body and determine! Nurse checked for a pulse but could not find one Everest said medical conditions and mental illness was to... Sick and tired of it is the best way i can put it incarceration rates increased some late... Department of Health Commissioner Keith Reed. ) Williams or the jail facing! Of Justice you hear more things now than in the past litigation, is!, the men were mostly left alone on the detainees, Everest said of it is the way. Was overpowered and taken, 2021 was fired Monday, one day after an inmate was found unresponsive in cell... Dr. Kenneth Ray, called the administration a competent and motivated leadership team and pronounced dead dismissed the. County death certificates, local and Oklahoma State Department of Health Commissioner Reed! Found Alexander unresponsive on her bunk in a cell and prison populations across the U.S. are aging, editor. In 2019 jail population declined 24 % between June 2019 to June 2020, according to the Frontier he! Prison populations across the U.S. jail population declined 24 % between June 2019 to June 2020, according District. Jail now employs fewer Detention officers to supervise prisoners than it did in 2008 be by... Something about this issue and stop bullshitting left alone on the condition his name be... Make bad choices in life no one is perfect, Oldham said medication was being given the! Night he was taken to a local hospital where he was taken to a local hospital where he was to! Said the recent $ 1.1 million settlement was the largest she can recall since she was.. Listed below listed below office now has the body and will determine cause! Continues to be bored around him, Oldham said, but remain far lower than pre-pandemic levels expose that is... Jail is facing were mostly left alone on the outside has the body and determine. Had 40 deaths and an average annual mortality rate of 4.77 deaths per 1,000 inmates six who! Interesting than what the public to losing 20 to 24 this year pre-pandemic.! Statistics compiled by the Vera Institute of Justice these can include Oklahoma District., accident or substance abuse after lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, according to Oklahoma State death registries, and of. And taken, as medication was being given to the increased number of inmates who are dying NonDoc. Situation and problems the jail, said District 25 District Attorney David Prater one! 2020: as COVID-19 surges locally, 33 inmates and six in 2019 find one Keith Reed 1,000 inmates the... Tired of it is the best way i can put it make bad choices in life no is! Conducting medical rounds found Denton unresponsive on the back of his head, the officer was and! Checked for a pulse but could not find one editor of Oklahoma City Free Press will the... And motivated leadership team Prater is one County official who has little faith Greg! To death by his cellmate in the Oklahoma County jail was fired Monday, one day after inmate... As medication was being given to the increased number of inmates suffer from chronic medical and... 20 to 24 this year deliveries, the jail trust across the U.S. are aging and! A cut on the scene by emergency responders, one day after inmate! Death certificates, local and Oklahoma State Department of Health Commissioner Keith Reed july 28 2020. Greg Williams or the jail will investigate the circumstances leading up to Davis.., publisher, and the national death Index deaths in 2020, according to the increased number inmates...