IN
IN MINNESOTA WHEN AN INMATE DIES, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE
OF INDEPENDENCE OR
ACCOUNTABILITY AND EHRSMANN,
THE VOICE COVID 19 YEAR OLD ABBY
RUDOLPH JAILED FOR SUSPECTED
SHOPLIFTING. TALKING WITH HER
MOM TWO DAYS BEFORE SHE DIED
MADE ME FEEL ALONE IN A LOCKED
ROOM WITH CUYUNA OVER ME. CLAY
COUNTY JAIL VIDEO SHOWED HER
VOMITING OVER AND OVER SUFFERING
FROM DRUG WITHDRAWAL THAT WENT
UNTREATED.
UNTREATED. >> SHE JUST BECAME PROGRESSIVELY
SICKER AND SICKER AND SICKER
AND NOBODY DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT
TO BETTER ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY
AND JUSTICE WHEN THERE IS A JAIL
DEATH LIKE ABBI'S. SOME STATES,
INCLUDING TEXAS, NEW JERSEY
AND NORTH CAROLINA REQUIRE
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS, JUST
LIKE IN OFFICER INVOLVED
SHOOTINGS. IN 2015,
A PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE
RECOMMENDED OUTSIDE
RECOMMENDED OUTSIDE INVESTIGATIONS BE ADOPTED
NATIONWIDE, SAYING IN ORDER
TO RESTORE AND MAINTAIN TRUST,
THIS INDEPENDENCE IS CRUCIAL.
>> THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE IS
THAT NO ONE SHOULD BE
INVESTIGATING A DEATH
THAT OCCURRED IN THEIR OWN
JAILS.
JAILS.
JAILS. >>
JAILS. >> PROFESSOR MICHELE DEITCH IS
A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EXPERT
ON JAILS WHO HELPED CRAFT
THE TEXAS LAW.
>> ANY INVESTIGATION OF A DEATH
IN CUSTODY NEEDS TO BE DONE BY
AN ENTITY OUTSIDE OF THE AGENCY
THAT MIGHT BEAR SOME
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT DEATH.
>> BUT OUR INVESTIGATION FINDS
IN MINNESOTA THE AGENCY'S
RESPONSE FOR KEEPING INMATES
ALIVE USUALLY INVESTIGATE
THEMSELVES AND TOO OFTEN THEY
OVERLOOK SERIOUS PROBLEMS. TAKE
NAIPAUL'S DEATH. HE WAS ARRESTED
BY HENNEPIN. SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES
AT HCM PSYCH UNIT IS CHARGE
FAILING TO COMPLETE EARLIER
TREATMENT FOR MENTAL ILLNESS?
STATE RULES REQUIRE MORE
FREQUENT OBSERVATION
FREQUENT OBSERVATION FOR POTENTIALLY SUICIDAL OR
MENTALLY ILL INMATES. LAST
MONTH, KARE 11 EXPOSED HOW
THE OBVIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL
AND POTENTIALLY SUICIDAL MAN WAS
NOT MORE FREQUENTLY OBSERVED OR
PLACED ON ANY SUICIDE
PRECAUTIONS. THEY'RE NOT WORKING
TO FIX PROBLEMS. THEY'RE LOOKING
TO COVER THEIR BACKSIDES.
>> ATTORNEY JEFF STORMS
REPRESENTS HIS FAMILY IN A
WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT.
HE CLAIMS THE HENNEPIN SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT, WHICH INVESTIGATED
ITSELF, ATTEMPTED TO PASS
THE BUCK, IS EVIDENCE THIS
SEARCH WARRANT APPLICATION WHERE
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TOLD
A JUDGE THEY WERE CRIMINALLY
INVESTIGATED AIDING OF SUICIDE
BY H . CMC DOCTORS. THERE WAS
ZERO EVIDENCE NAJI'S DEATH WAS
AIDED BY DOCTORS. REMEMBER,
HE WAS ALREADY IN THE SHERIFF'S
CUSTODY. THE SHERIFF'S
INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED WITH NO
FINDINGS OF WRONGDOING.
>> WE NEED TO HAVE INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATIONS. WHAT WE DO NOT
NEED IS THE HENNEPIN COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE INVESTIGATING
ITS OWN EMPLOYEES. THE MINNESOTA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, WHICH
LICENSES JAILS, DOES DO DEATH
REVIEWS. AND NAUSEA'S CASE THEY
DIDN'T FIND ANY VIOLATION INS
THAT CONTRIBUTED TO HIS DEATH.
BUT A FORMER DEOXY JAIL
INSPECTOR SAYS THOSE REVIEWS
ARE NOT INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATOR.
INVESTIGATOR. >> WE DID REVIEWS OF THE
COUNTY'S INVESTIGATIONS FOR 13
YEARS. GREG CROUCHER SAYS
HE WOULD REVIEW VIDEO
TO DETERMINE IF INMATES WERE
CHECKED ON ACCORDING TO STATE
RULES AND LOOK TO SEE IF
TRAINING FOR GUARDS WAS UP TO
DATE. BUT HE SAYS
STATE INSPECTORS DON'T INTERVIEW
WITNESSES OR SEEK TO DETERMINE
WHETHER JEL MEDICAL CARE WAS
ADEQUATE.
ADEQUATE.
ADEQUATE. >> YOU'RE SAYING DOC DIDN'T
INVESTIGATE? DEOXY WOULD NOT DO
THE INVESTIGATION. WE WOULD DO
A REVIEW OF THE INVESTIGATION
THAT THE COUNTY HAD DONE.
>> WATCH HOW THAT PLAYED OUT
WHEN ABBIE RUDOLPH DIED, CLAY
COUNTY INVESTIGATED ITSELF.
THE FINDING JAIL STAFF ACTED
APPROPRIATELY AND SHOWED
COMPASSION WHILE DEALING
WITH INMATE ABBIE RUDOLPH.
THE DOOSY DEATH REVIEW PARROTED
THAT STATING STAFF APPEAR
TO HAVE BEEN VERY COMPASSIONATE
AND TREATED MISS RUDOLPH VERY
PROFESSIONALLY. BUT WHEN
KARE 11 INVESTIGATED, WE FOUND
CLAY COUNTY IGNORED BASIC
PROFESSIONAL JEANELLE MEDICAL
STANDARDS THAT PEOPLE DETOX FROM
OPIOIDS BE GIVEN EFFECTIVE
MEDICATION. RECORDS SHOW ABBY
RECEIVED NO MEDICATION
AND GUARDS CONSISTENTLY
DOCUMENTED HER IS OK EVEN AS SHE
LAY ON HER CELL FLOOR FOR DAYS
VOMITING AND SOILING HERSELF.
>> WE SIMPLY HAVE TO DO BETTER.
DOC COMMISSIONER PAUL JEANELLE
IS BACKING SIGNIFICANT JAIL
REFORM PROPOSALS TO THE
LEGISLATURE THAT CALL IN PART
FOR AN OUTSIDE MEDICAL DOCTOR
TO REVIEW DEATH TO DETERMINE IF
MISTAKES OR DENIAL OF MEDICAL
CARE PLAYED A ROLE. BUT HE
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT'S STILL NOT
THE SAME AS AN ACTUAL
INDEPENDENT CRIMINAL DEATH
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. >> OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE AS
WE LOOK AT THESE DEATHS, THERE
HAS TO BE AN INVESTIGATIVE
ELEMENT BECAUSE THAT IS NOT
A ROLL OF THE DICE.
>> SEE, THE DOC TELLS
KARE 11 THEYW ENCOURAGE SHERIFFS
TO USE AN OUTSIDE AGENCY,
BUT MINNESOTA LAW DOESN'T
REQUIRE IT. SO THE SHERIFFS GET
TO CHOOSE WHO INVESTIGATES JAIL
DEATHS ON THEIR WATCH.