December 29, 2011

A federal lawsuit filed over the death of a 48 year-old man in a Pennsylvania jail cell has been settled for $500,000. The man, Terry Johnson, died in February, 2007 as a result of peritonitis caused by a perforation to his intestine. The condition may have stemmed from gastric bypass surgery undergone by Johnson in 2002. According to the lawsuit filed by Johnson’s widow, Lorraine, had prison officials taken proper action, her husband’s death could have been prevented and he would have been spared 30 hours of excruciating pain.

Johnson had turned himself in after allegedly violating a single-count restraining order. He became ill shortly afterward. Although an electrocardiogram conducted by a jail nurse showed abnormal results, Johnson was offered no treatment. He was returned to his cell, where his repeated cries for help were ignored by prison guards and officials.

The out-of-court settlement was reached after several days of testimony taken in federal court in early November, 2011. The agreement contains no admission of wrongdoing by Fayette County prison employees, Pennsylvania officials say the $500,000 settlement will be paid out of an insurance liability fund managed by the state county commissioners association.

by Ruth Stern, Esq. for The ORLOW Firm