Coroner’s jury calls for federal investigation into Newell woman’s death
Herald-Standard
Three former inmates filed a federal lawsuit against the Fayette County Prison, its former warden and two current deputy wardens over living conditions while they were incarcerated.
The Fayette County Prison is shown in this Herald-Standard file photo. The UMWA has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, on behalf of the Fayette County Prison corrections officers and inmates at the prison asking that the agency conduct an investigation into the constitutional violations at the county lockup.
A Fayette County coroner’s jury is calling for an independent federal investigation into operations at the Fayette County Prison following the death of an inmate last September.
Jeana Marie Scott, 27, of Newell, died the morning of Sept. 6, 2015, less than 12 hours after being jailed on an outstanding warrant. Her death was initially ruled accidental due to a combined drug overdose, a conclusion upheld by the jury.
Attorney Stephen Stallings, who represented Scott’s family during the inquest, said the woman’s two children and mother were thankful for the “courageous and considered verdict.”
“After hearing testimony from over 30 witnesses over several days, they confirmed what the family had long suspected: Jeana Scott’s death was avoidable,” Stallings said. “They issued detailed, thoughtful, and specific recommendations to Uniontown Hospital and the Fayette County Prison that may help prevent similar unnecessary deaths in the future. Critically, the jurors’ verdict specifically requested a federal civil rights investigation into deaths at the Fayette County Prison. Ms. Scott’s family is dedicated to working closely with federal investigators to get to the bottom of Ms. Scott’s death and helps prevent similar tragedies from ever happening again.”
A coroner’s jury has the power to make recommendations based on the testimony they have heard, whether it is a recommendation for charges related to the case or recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.
Stallings had recommended the federal investigation, noting that the U.S. Attorney’s office has a division dedicated solely to investigating civil rights violations at prisons.
“Maybe the prison did nothing wrong or maybe on the other hand the officer who was the whistleblower was telling the truth,” Stallings said. “Asking for an independent federal investigation is the way to go. That could actually have a material effect in the case.”
Coroner Dr. Phillip Reilly said he wished Stallings had mentioned the possibility of a federal investigation earlier, because he would have invited members of the U.S. Attorney’s office to hear the testimony first-hand.
Stallings said he requested a transcript of the two-day inquest, so all of the testimony would be available to federal investigators.
“I didn’t hear anything that indicated to me there were any civil rights violations,” said John Cupp, solicitor for Fayette County. “She came to the jail. She gave inconsistent information about her medical problems. …After the nurse became aware this woman was in distress, they did everything they could to keep this woman alive.”
The U.S. Attorney’s office in Pittsburgh declined to comment on whether they would act upon the jury’s recommendation.
The jury also recommended 24-hour nursing care at the jail, which currently has no medical staff on duty overnight.
The county commissioners have been discussing the possibility of extending medical coverage at the prison, but to date have taken no action. Commission chairman Vince Vicites did not return calls for comment.
The jury also recommended the nursing staff have access to a telephone in the infirmary to dial 911, and that direct-dial numbers for area ambulance services be posted near that phone. There was testimony from a nurse that 911 could only be called from the administrative offices. A lieutenant testified that while he could have dialed an outside number from the infirmary, he could not locate the ambulance phone number and did call 911 from the cell phone kept in the administrative office.
Warden Brian Miller testified that no policies or procedures were changed at the prison following Scott’s death.
“Until today, I didn’t learn there was a problem with them not calling (911) from the infirmary,” Miller said during Thursday’s testimony.
Miller also testified that there is an automatic external defibrillator (AED) in the medical area, though the nurse on duty had testified that it was in the administrative area. Although CPR was performed, the AED, which is used to shock a patient whose heart has stopped, was not used by prison medical or corrections staff.
The jury also suggested that the prison use a form to ask inmates for access to their medical records. Scott had been seen at the Uniontown Hospital emergency room immediately prior to her arrest and had been given prescriptions for several medications as well as follow-up instructions. That information was not passed on to prison officials. The hospital did provide a slip clearing Scott as being fit for incarceration.
“I don’t see a need for my officers to know in-depth an inmate’s medical charts,” Miller said, going on to say he saw nothing to improve.
The jury also recommended that the Uniontown Hospital have attending physicians review each patient more carefully. Scott had been seen at the hospital by a nurse practitioner, but her discharge papers were signed by the attending physician on duty at the emergency room, but who had not actually seen her during treatment or prior to discharge. It was explained during the inquest that cases are ranked during triage, with a rank of five being cases requiring no treatment and cases ranked one being the most severe. Scott’s case, a complaint of back pain, was ranked four. She was given a shot of Toradol and discharged.
“There is always some debate about the involvement of the physician when a patient is seen by a mid-level provider,” said David Johnson, the attorney representing Uniontown Hospital during the inquest. “What the law does require is that a physician at some point must sign off on a discharge or admission.”
Josh Krysak, community relations coordinator for the hospital, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.