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Abstract: 

During intake, prison staff noted that Ryan was an alcoholic, actively engaged in the use of drugs, and suffering with mental illness. This decision (by a U.S. magistrate judge) deals with medical defendant’s motion to dismiss. At this point Plaintiff’s plausible allegations must be taken as true but only for the purpose of deciding this motion. Ryan was placed on “thirty minute detox watch.” COs, however, did not check at appropriate intervals when Ryan was observed to be in distress. He hanged himself by using sheets and a prohibited upper bunk in his cell. When found, 51 minutes had elapsed since he was last observed. The allegations here are a lack of regular check-ins by COs, lack of appropriate mental health care, failure to make a medical referral, failure to provide a medically ordered lower bunk, and failure to place Ryan in a special needs unit.

Keywords: Loughney v. Correctional Care, Inc.

Affiliations:  1: Executive Editor.