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Miami Herald

Inmate was left yelling in pain in his jail cell until he died, Minnesota lawsuit says

The daughter of a Minnesota man who died while in state custody is suing after she says jail staff failed to provide him medical care, despite his pleas for help. A federal lawsuit was filed Jan. 27 against multiple defendants including Olmsted County, Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. and USA Medical & Psychological Staffing, S.C. Olmsted County declined McClatchy's request for comment. Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. and USA Medical & Psychological Staffing, S.C. did not immediately respond. Melvin Bush, 59, was arrested on March 1, 2023, on suspicion of violating a no-contact order in Olmsted County, according to the lawsuit. When he was booked into the Olmsted County Jail, he told jail staff that he had high blood pressure and was on Suboxone, according to the civil complaint. Bush tested positive for several substances, but instead of being prescribed Suboxone, he was given 'a cocktail of mild withdrawal medication' the next day, according to the lawsuit. On March 5, Bush 'began suffering from spontaneous and intense stomach pain,' the suit said. At times, he was checked by a nurse, however, the lawsuit said he was not given the proper treatment or medication. The jail nurse failed to fully check Bush's vitals, ignored pleas for help and ignored that he was not eating, the lawsuit said. Other inmates pleaded with jail staff to get medical attention for Bush as he yelled in pain from his cell, according to the complaint. '(Deputies) and (the nurse) left Melvin to continue suffering even though it would have been obvious to any layperson that Melvin had serious medical needs and needed a higher level of care than (the nurse) could offer,' the lawsuit said. Bush continued to request medical assistance from deputies, but they told him he was 'just withdrawing,' according to the lawsuit. The complaint said that Bush told deputies the medicine they gave him was not working and he needed to see a doctor. However, his pleas were not taken seriously and a deputy told the nurse, '(c)an you just come down take a look at him, just give him peace of mind(?)' the lawsuit said. Jail staff checked on Bush several times on March 5, but the lawsuit said they did not fully check his vitals or conduct a physical examination and at times only looked into his cell without going inside. Bush continued to ask for medical care and was seen 'laying, breathing heavily, moaning, and groaning,' the lawsuit said. Then, at 4:15 p.m., he was found in his cell 'stiff with his jaw wide open,' according to the complaint. Deputies 'believed' they found a faint pulse, and Bush was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy later revealed that Bush died from a perforated duodenal ulcer, 'a serious medical condition that required prompt and appropriate care,' the lawsuit said. The lawsuit is asking for more than $225,000 in damages. Bush was a family man who loved spending time with his loved ones, according to his obituary. 'If you couldn't find Melvin all you had to do was ask one of his grandchildren 'where's Papa?' because they were usually anywhere he was,' the obituary said.