Post by Finn Fan on Feb 27, 2009 7:09:27 GMT -5
Nurse fired after death of inmate
Deputy put on leave as inquiry continues at Hancock County Jail
GREENFIELD, Ind. -- The death of an inmate at the Hancock County Jail prompted Sheriff Bud Gray this week to fire a jail nurse and place a deputy on paid administrative leave during an investigation.
Brian Bales, 36, died Feb. 18 from what an autopsy later showed to be gastrointestinal bleeding. Bales was arrested Feb. 16 and booked into the jail because deputies suspected him of driving under the influence of drugs.
On Feb. 20, Gray fired Matt Landis, a jail nurse, because he failed to consult with a doctor about Bales' condition. Gray said Landis consulted with the inmate's father, who told the nurse his son had exhibited similar symptoms in the past when going through withdrawal from substance abuse.
Landis confirmed the sheriff's account Thursday but said he did not believe Bales' condition to be life-threatening.
"I'm very sorry that this had to happen, and I feel bad for the Sheriff's Department and the family, both," said Landis, who said he has worked as a nurse for about 10 years.
"Hindsight's always 20/20. . . . To look back and judge what I did, I really can't do. But what I did is what I thought was right at the time."
Landis said he last saw Bales about 5 p.m. the day before his death. At that time, the inmate was "sitting up and getting ready to eat dinner," he said.
"When I left him, he was not anywhere near, in my opinion, someone that was going to die," Landis said.
Sheriff's deputies pulled over Bales' vehicle after another motorist had dialed 911 to report erratic driving.
The New Palestine man had a history of alcohol abuse, but Gray said he passed a breathalyzer test before he was taken to jail. At that point, deputies suspected other drugs.
Officials are still awaiting results of blood tests administered to Bales at Hancock Regional Hospital the afternoon of his arrest. It's also possible a medical condition, not drugs, could have caused Bales' erratic driving and behavior, Gray said.
Bales was a diabetic. Though a hospital staff member drew Bales' blood, a doctor never examined him, Gray said.
No foul play is suspected in the man's death, but Gray believes officers at the jail should have been more vigilant concerning the man's condition during the day-and-a-half he was incarcerated.
"We did not cause his death," Gray said. "But the situation was, there were a couple people who failed to follow policies that would have resulted in his being taken to the hospital, in which case he most likely would have been admitted and would not have died at the jail."
Gray said Landis should not have based his decisions on a conversation with Bales' father.
"Based on vital signs that were taken, a doctor should have been called," Gray said. "We have a doctor on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we pay for that service. That's why we have him, for situations like this one. (The jail nurse) should have contacted the doctor on call, and that didn't happen."
Gray also placed Sgt. Bridget Foy, a shift supervisor who worked the night of Bales' arrest, on paid administrative leave while the department investigates the matter.
Gray said he is not satisfied with certain decisions made on Foy's watch, but he declined to specify those decisions.
He said he wants to allow an internal investigation to proceed before addressing specifics.
In addition, a jail shift commander, Craig Burks, has resigned. Burks was on duty the night before Bales died, Gray said.
Jail officials failed to check all cells during mandated 11 p.m. inmate counts, the sheriff said.
Had Bales been checked that night, officials might have noticed he was not well, Gray said.
Call Star reporter Bill McCleery at (317) 444-6083.
Deputy put on leave as inquiry continues at Hancock County Jail
GREENFIELD, Ind. -- The death of an inmate at the Hancock County Jail prompted Sheriff Bud Gray this week to fire a jail nurse and place a deputy on paid administrative leave during an investigation.
Brian Bales, 36, died Feb. 18 from what an autopsy later showed to be gastrointestinal bleeding. Bales was arrested Feb. 16 and booked into the jail because deputies suspected him of driving under the influence of drugs.
On Feb. 20, Gray fired Matt Landis, a jail nurse, because he failed to consult with a doctor about Bales' condition. Gray said Landis consulted with the inmate's father, who told the nurse his son had exhibited similar symptoms in the past when going through withdrawal from substance abuse.
Landis confirmed the sheriff's account Thursday but said he did not believe Bales' condition to be life-threatening.
"I'm very sorry that this had to happen, and I feel bad for the Sheriff's Department and the family, both," said Landis, who said he has worked as a nurse for about 10 years.
"Hindsight's always 20/20. . . . To look back and judge what I did, I really can't do. But what I did is what I thought was right at the time."
Landis said he last saw Bales about 5 p.m. the day before his death. At that time, the inmate was "sitting up and getting ready to eat dinner," he said.
"When I left him, he was not anywhere near, in my opinion, someone that was going to die," Landis said.
Sheriff's deputies pulled over Bales' vehicle after another motorist had dialed 911 to report erratic driving.
The New Palestine man had a history of alcohol abuse, but Gray said he passed a breathalyzer test before he was taken to jail. At that point, deputies suspected other drugs.
Officials are still awaiting results of blood tests administered to Bales at Hancock Regional Hospital the afternoon of his arrest. It's also possible a medical condition, not drugs, could have caused Bales' erratic driving and behavior, Gray said.
Bales was a diabetic. Though a hospital staff member drew Bales' blood, a doctor never examined him, Gray said.
No foul play is suspected in the man's death, but Gray believes officers at the jail should have been more vigilant concerning the man's condition during the day-and-a-half he was incarcerated.
"We did not cause his death," Gray said. "But the situation was, there were a couple people who failed to follow policies that would have resulted in his being taken to the hospital, in which case he most likely would have been admitted and would not have died at the jail."
Gray said Landis should not have based his decisions on a conversation with Bales' father.
"Based on vital signs that were taken, a doctor should have been called," Gray said. "We have a doctor on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we pay for that service. That's why we have him, for situations like this one. (The jail nurse) should have contacted the doctor on call, and that didn't happen."
Gray also placed Sgt. Bridget Foy, a shift supervisor who worked the night of Bales' arrest, on paid administrative leave while the department investigates the matter.
Gray said he is not satisfied with certain decisions made on Foy's watch, but he declined to specify those decisions.
He said he wants to allow an internal investigation to proceed before addressing specifics.
In addition, a jail shift commander, Craig Burks, has resigned. Burks was on duty the night before Bales died, Gray said.
Jail officials failed to check all cells during mandated 11 p.m. inmate counts, the sheriff said.
Had Bales been checked that night, officials might have noticed he was not well, Gray said.
Call Star reporter Bill McCleery at (317) 444-6083.