October 12, 2010--The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri (ACLU-EM) filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Correctional Medical Services (CMS) and the City of St. Louis today. ?The wrongful death lawsuit was filed on behalf of Landa Poke, sister of Courtland Lucas. Lucas died in the custody of the St. Louis City Justice Center on May 25, 2009. Poke is represented by ACLU-EM cooperating attorney Rodney Holmes.
Lucas, who suffered from chronic heart disease, was wearing a pacemaker when taken into custody. The ACLU-EM asserts that prior to his death, CMS failed to provide Lucas with proper medications for his heart disease even though prison administrators and medical staff had been notified by his family about his medical needs. The suit cites failures by CMS to observe and use reasonable and recognized standards for health services in dealing with Lucas. “At a minimum,” attorney Holmes said, “the standard includes training in first aid and the recognition of the need for emergency care and intervention in life-threatening situations.”
ACLU-EM Legal Director Anthony Rothert said, “Jails must provide adequate medical screening and assessments to determine health conditions or special requirements to insure proper medical treatment for individuals. “
The ACLU-EM released a report on St. Louis Jails in March 2009 and is currently working with the City of St. Louis to develop safeguards against potential abuses committed by officials acting outside of policy. “We are continuing to work with the City and hope to create an independent body to oversee jail conditions,” said ACLU-EM Executive Director Brenda Jones. “In the meantime, the facts in this case show the deadly consequences resulting from the lack of such oversight.”
The new suit follows a case recently filed by the ACLU-EM on behalf of Gary Gieselman, who was severely beaten at a Potosi jail and rushed by helicopter to St. Louis for emergency surgery on September 29, 2005. The attack on Gieselman was carried out by other prisoners at the jail who were encouraged to assault him by corrections officers there. Former Chief Deputy Sheriff Vernon Wilson of Potosi has been indicted for felony civil rights violations and making false statements to the FBI. His daughter, former corrections officer Valeria Wilson Jackson, pled guilty in federal court to obstructing justice and is awaiting sentencing.
The ACLU-EM believes that both cases demonstrate the need for independent oversight of jails, in St. Louis and across the state.