What Should We Do if an Inmate Dies Suspiciously in Custody?

Losing a 34-year-old with no cardiac history to a sudden death in custody is something any family has the right to question and investigate. Here is what the family can do.

Request the official autopsy report. The medical examiner's report is the starting point for any independent investigation. The family has the right to request a copy of the official autopsy and all associated medical records. Make this request in writing to both the facility and the medical examiner's office as soon as possible.

Request the full medical record from the facility. Every correctional facility maintains medical records for inmates in their care. The family should request those records immediately, before they are altered, lost, or become harder to access. An attorney can compel production of these records if the facility is uncooperative.

Commission an independent autopsy. If the family has questions about the official findings, hiring an independent forensic pathologist to conduct their own examination is a legitimate option. It is not inexpensive, but independent autopsies have produced different conclusions than official ones in custody death cases and have formed the basis for legal action. This needs to happen before the body is buried if at all possible.

Consult a civil rights attorney immediately. Deaths in custody, particularly unexpected ones involving young people with no relevant medical history, fall within the scope of civil rights law. Many attorneys who handle these cases do so on a contingency basis, meaning no upfront cost to the family. Organizations like the ACLU and state civil rights legal organizations can also provide referrals.

Contact the Department of Justice. The DOJ Civil Rights Division investigates deaths in custody and accepts complaints from families. Filing a complaint creates a federal record of the family's concerns.

Document everything now. Write down everything the family knows about his health, his communications from inside, any complaints he made about medical care or treatment, and the timeline of events leading up to his death. That information is essential for any investigation or legal action and becomes harder to reconstruct over time.

Thirty-four years old with no cardiac history is young enough that a family asking hard questions is entirely justified.