Death in jail of 50-year-old, unemployed, alcoholic man, survived by four adult children. Non-economic damages only. Defendant Corizon Health, Inc., was deliberately indifferent to inmate’s medical needs by failing to place him on alcohol detox protocols and allowing him to go into severe alcohol withdrawal; then when inmate was hallucinating with Delirium Tremens, 10 deputies beat and Tased him to death. The case settled one week into a projected 10-week trial.The settlement also included enforceable injunctive relief against the County and against Corizon at all California jails and facilities, requiring training of deputies and assigning Registered Nurses (RN’s) rather than un-credentialed Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN’s) to handle patient assessments.
*Largest civil rights wrongful death settlement in California history as of that time, obtained by Haddad &Sherwin LLP.
The settlement also included enforceable injunctive relief against the County and against Corizon at all California jails and facilities, requiring training of deputies and assigning Registered Nurses (RN’s) rather than un-credentialed Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN’s) to handle patient assessments.