From: AlterNet
By Iulia Filip
May 20, 2013
|
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (CN) - A woman died on a courthouse floor because
Alabama sheriff's deputies refused to give her her medicine - after
arresting her for an old traffic ticket, the woman's daughter claims in
court.
Ayunna Johnae London sued St. Clair County Sheriff Terry Surles, jail
administrators Austin Nash and Terry Marcrum, Southern Healthcare
Partners, and its employee Jennifer Eisel, in Federal Court.
London claims her mother, Dwana Voncia London-Richardson, died
gasping for breath in court after callous and unconstitutional treatment
from the defendants.
Richardson suffered from asthma and other serious health problems,
but the defendants refused to give her her medication, accused her of
faking, and let her die in the courtroom, her daughter claims.
Southern Healthcare Partners, which provided medical care to inmates
at the St. Clair County Jail, failed to treat her mother properly,
London says.
Her 45-year-old mother died in May 2011 at the St. Clair County Courthouse while in the sheriff's custody.
Richardson was arrested on May 19, 2011, in Tarrant City, Ala., for
failing to pay a 2008 traffic ticket. She was sent to the St. Clair
County Jail.
London claims that when she visited her mom in jail two days later,
her mother could hardly walk, had trouble breathing and complained of
pain in both legs.
London claims the jail staff refused to give her mom her asthma medication and stopped other inmates from helping her.
"Ms. Richardson told Ayunna that she was sick, that both her legs
were hurting her so badly that she could not walk to the tray area to
pick up her food, and that they would not give her her medicine," the
complaint states.
"Ms. Richardson told Ayunna that several of the inmates were trying
to help her out by going to get her tray for her, since she could hardly
walk, but the jailers told them that they were 'babying' her, and moved
Ms. Richardson to a different area in the jail, away from the inmates
that were trying to help her."
Jail staff refused to take Richardson to the hospital, despite her worsening condition, her daughter says.
On May 23, deputies took her mother to court and ignored her need for medical care until it was too late, London says.
"Ayunna headed to the St. Clair County Courthouse early that
morning," the complaint states. "She could not locate where court was
being held. She saw deputy (or jailer) John Doe standing at the fire
station, talking to a firefighter so she pulled into the station to ask
where court was being held.
"When she pulled into the fire station, she saw her mother lying on
the ground next to the police car with her legs extended under the
police car.
"She asked them what had happened and her mother told her that she
did not know, that she had just passed out. Ms. Richardson was sweating
and struggling breathing.
"Ayunna had one of her mother's asthma pumps in her car so she asked if her mother could sit in her car and get some air.
"Ayunna gave her mother the asthma pump but it was not working. Her mother's breathing continued to get worse."
London says the deputies still refused to take her mom to the
hospital, and said would be locked up if she didn't keep her court date.
"Ms. Richardson was unable to walk," the complaint states. "Deputy
(or jailer) Doe obtained an office chair from the courthouse and they
used it to wheel Ms. Richardson to the courtroom.
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