Homeless, Mentally Ill Veteran ‘Baked To Death’ While Neglected In Jail Cell

March 19 2014

Oh, Lord God help us. This story should truly anger each and every one of us!

A mentally ill veteran was “basically baked to death” in his Rikers Island jail cell last month as temperatures reached more than 100 degrees, a New York City official told the Associated Press.

According to four unnamed city officials, 56-year-old James Murdough reportedly did not open a vent in his cell that would’ve allowed for cool air to flow in and lower the temperature, something most inmates did. The officials also stated that no one checked on Murdough’s condition for hours, which constitutes a violation of standard procedure.

Originally placed on Rikers Island for observation purposes, Murdough reportedly took anti-psychotic and anti-seizure medicine. He was previously charged with trespassing, and was located in the prison unit responsible for handling those with mental illnesses.

The officials stated that Murdough’s medication potentially made him more susceptible to heat, while early reports from the autopsy conducted suggest he died of extreme dehydration or heat stroke. The medical examiner’s office, however, officially stated that further tests were necessary in order to pinpoint the cause of death.

“So Mr. Murdough violated the trespass law. So he suffered the consequences by going to jail,” attorney Jennifer Parish of the Urban Justice Center’s Mental Health Project told the AP. “But the jail system committed more serious harm to him. And the question is, ‘Will they ever be held responsible?’”

When Murdough was found dead in his cell, it had been four hours since authorities last checked on him. By this time, the officials said both the temperatures in the cell and in his internal body were at least 100 degrees. Even that number could have potentially been higher since the cell was closed off for hours beforehand. 

Corrections Department spokesman Robin Campbell admitted the temperature was “unusually high,”but that the necessary action has been taken to address the issue. Standard procedure, meanwhile, dictates that inmates in the mental observation unit need to be observed every 15 minutes as part of a suicide watch. 

According to Murdough’s mother, Alma, her son suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. She had not seen him in three years, and was informed of his death only after the AP contacted her about the situation last week. 

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