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| California Inmate's Family Seeks Damages After Death |
| By Contra Costa Times |
| Published: 08/19/2002 |
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The family of a man who collapsed and died in Contra Costa County Jail has filed a lawsuit against the county claiming he did not receive proper medical care at the detention facility. Harlan Lang died June 8, 2001. A jury at a December coroner's inquest ruled he died by accident by an overdose of self-ingested Fentanyl, a painkiller. The lawsuit, filed in Contra Costa Superior Court by Lang's mother acting as a guardian for his daughter, Dylia Klatt, alleges that the death was the result of jail officials not properly caring for Lang. The suit seeks unspecified damages. When asked about the suit, county counsel Silvano Marchesi said the matter is under investigation. Lang was arrested June 6 on a bench warrant and appeared before Judge Mary Ann O'Malley. He pleaded with her to release him until his next court date, saying he needed to take heart medicine. Lang looked pale and tired. He told the judge he took several medications and used a respirator. The judge released him. According to the lawsuit, shortly after his release on June 7 he was examined at Contra Costa County Medical Center in Martinez and diagnosed with self-inflicted head injuries, intoxication and psychosis. Martinez police arrested him again later that day after he allegedly tried to break into a house he used to live in. After his second arrest, according to the lawsuit, he was again examined at the county hospital and medically cleared to go to the jail. At the jail, the lawsuit claims, he told jail officials he didn't have his medications and his head injury needed attention. Nothing was done, the lawsuit asserts. Over the next few hours, Lang continued to ask for medical help and had difficulty breathing and was sweating profusely, according to the suit. About 5 a.m., the next morning, he was found dead in the booking area of the jail. |
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