Inmate death lawsuit against sheriff, 3 detention officers can move forward
LAST YEAR, VIOLENT CRIME IS
DOWN. 26% IN WASHINGTON.
>> TONIGHT WE'RE LEARNING MORE
ABOUT A LAWSUIT AGAINST HEART
OF COUNTY SHERIFFS AND SOME
DETENTION OFFICERS AFTER AN
INMATE DIED OF AN OVERDOSE.
A FEDERAL JUDGE RULED THERE WAS
EVIDENCE THE JAILERS
FACILITATED DRUG SALES AND USE
AND DIDN'T HAVE PROPER
TRAINING. THE BUREAU'S HEIDI
KIRK HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THE
LAWSUIT. HE JOINS US LIVE FROM
HARDIN COUNTY. IT JUST FOLLOWS
A SERIES OF LAWSUITS FILED
AGAINST THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
>> WHEN GERALD WRAL
INVESTIGATES, HE'S COVERED THAT
SERIES OF LAWSUITS SHOOTS FOR
YEARS. NOW THE ONE WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY HAS TO DO
WITH A MAN WHO OVERDOSED HERE
AT THE HARNETT COUNTY JAIL.
HE WAS ONLY IN CUSTODY FOR NOT
PAYING A FINE. NOW THAT JUDGE
RULED THAT THE LAWSUIT AGAINST
THOSE THAT SHERIFF AND THOSE
DETENTION OFFICERS CAN MOVE
FORWARD.
ERICK GRIFFITH, HE DIED 4 YEARS
AGO AT THE HARNETT COUNTY JAIL
AFTER A HEART ATTACK IN AUTOPSY
DETERMINING THE LIKELY CAUSE
WAS METH IN HIS SYSTEM. THE
EVENTS FOR VERY TROUBLING THAT
THIS DEATH WAS PREVENTABLE.
THAT'S ATTORNEY JOHN TAYLOR WHO
FILED A LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF
ERIC GRIFFITTS ESTATE. WE SPOKE
WITH HIM IN 2023 AND AGAIN ON
THE PHONE TODAY, A JUDGE RULED
THERE'S ENOUGH EVIDENCE.
SHERIFF WAYNE COATS AND 3
OFFICERS, QUOTE, SHOWED
DELIBERATE INDIFFERENCE.
>> TO HIS MEDICAL CONDITION AND
HAD, QUOTE, INADEQUATE TRAINING
TO RESPOND TO THE
EMERGENCY IS.
>> OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT MR.
GRIFFITHS CELL MAY WAS
REPEATEDLY CALLING FOR HELP
AFTER MR. GRIFFITH WAS
SUFFERING A DRUG OVERDOSE AND
THERE WAS A
SIGNIFICANT DELAY. AND THEN
RESPONDING. AND THEN AT THE
TIME, THE THEY FINALLY CAME,
THE UNIT COULD NOT WORK.
>> THE JUDGE ALSO RULED THERE
WAS ENOUGH EVIDENCE THAT THE
DETENTION OFFICERS FACILITATED
AN ACTIVE IN RAMPANT NETWORK
OF THE SALE PURCHASE AND USE OF
ILLEGAL DRUGS INSIDE FOR YEARS.
GRIFFIS FRIENDS LIKE ZACH
HINKLE, EVERY SERIOUS QUESTIONS
ABOUT HIS DEATH. THIS IS A
NEGLECT.
>> AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I
CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHERS
WOULD FEEL THE SAME WAY IF IT
WAS THEIR LOVED ONE, THEIR BEST
FRIEND, THEIR SON, THEIR
BROTHER HINKLE, SAYS THIS
RULING MAY HAVE GIVEN THEM
ANSWERS.
>> OF COURSE, THIS DOES NOT
MEAN THAT THE SHERIFF AND THOSE
DETENTION OFFICERS HAVE BEEN
FOUND LIABLE JUST THAT THE
LAWSUIT IS MOVING FORWARD.
WE REACHED OUT TO SHERIFF COATS
AND HE SAID HE WOULD NOT
COMMENT BECAUSE THIS IS ACTIVE,