In order to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a man who died while in prison custody, the state of Ohio has agreed to pay $225,000 to his estate.
In December 2019, Dewey McVay, Jr. was imprisoned at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio, which is managed by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. McVay had a lengthy background of mental health problems.
McVay’s family’s legal team has reported that state employees had assaulted him and caused him injuries while attempting to relocate him to a different cell. Furthermore, the medical staff at DRC failed to comply with a doctor’s recommendation, which was to conduct a head CT scan to assess the severity of McVay’s injuries.
Patricia Maxwell, the sister of Dewey, expressed her disappointment with the medical staff and prison guards for their negligence that led to her brother’s death. Being a nurse herself, she was taken aback by the lack of follow-up and advocacy for Dewey’s situation. Patricia strongly believed that what happened to her brother was inexcusable and the cover-up by the prison guards indicated their lack of concern for his life. However, despite Dewey’s imprisonment and the reason behind it, Patricia emphasized that her brother’s life was valuable, and he was loved. She stated, “Dewey’s humanity and his rights were important, his life had meaning, and he was loved.”
Over a span of two years, McVay, along with other men, lost their lives while being held at the Correctional Reception Center in Pickaway County. This facility evaluates thousands of inmates and determines their security levels before transferring them to other prisons.
After the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which includes The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Columbus Dispatch, conducted an investigation into issues at the prison, including previously unknown information about McVay’s death, his estate filed a lawsuit. The investigation revealed hundreds of pages of documents that highlighted problems with inadequate medical care, blind spots in security camera coverage, and staffing shortages.
The Ohio Highway Patrol conducted an investigation into McVay’s medical treatment and subsequent death. The case was referred to Pickaway County Prosecutor Judy Wolford, who chose not to press charges. The reason being, McVay had a history of banging his head against the wall.
In a news release on Thursday, Jacqueline Greene, a lawyer representing McVay’s estate, expressed that his death was both preventable and tragic.
According to Greene, the settlement and outcome of this case should serve as a warning to prison officers who abuse their power and mistreat those under their care. Additionally, he hopes that medical staff will take notice and refuse to turn a blind eye when providing care to individuals who have been victimized by prison staff.
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