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| Arizona County Settles Inmate Death Suit |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 10/18/2002 |
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A lawsuit filed by relatives of a 74-year-old man who died after being pushed by a corrections officer at the Pima County Jail in December has been settled. The settlement includes $150,000 and a letter from Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, whose department runs the jail, outlining the changes made since Karl Budinger's death and the death of Douglas Carter, another inmate, about three weeks later. 'Mr. Budinger's children were concerned that the county was not going to respond and take corrective action,' said the family's attorney, Clague Van Slyke III. 'Their focus was to make sure this wouldn't happen to someone else's father.' Budinger died at the jail after officials said Officer John Tollett slammed him against a low-hanging cabinet, breaking his neck. Witnesses said others, including nurse Raela Burns, ignored cries from Budinger that he was paralyzed. The officers involved were cleared in a department review, but Tollett was fired in June after being indicted for his role in Carter's death. Burns was fired and another officer involved in both incidents was moved to the jail's minimum-security unit. Budinger's relatives filed suit in June, asking for $10 million. Deputy County Attorney David Berkman said the settlement was approved by the Board of Supervisors on Oct. 1. Dupnik declined to comment on the settlement. In his letter, he listed changes made since the deaths, including installing video cameras and signs notifying people of them, an upgraded health care provider, and a review of policies on complaints of excessive force. |
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