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| Family files lawsuit over death of prison inmate |
| By Chicago Tribune |
| Published: 04/26/2004 |
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A McHenry County (Ill.) man who in December died of hypothermia in a Downstate prison wore only a hospital gown in his bare cell, while staffers wore winter coats, hats and gloves and drank hot beverages to keep warm, according to a wrongful-death lawsuit. The suit, filed by the father and brother of Charles Platcher, seeks more than $1 million from the state Department of Corrections and its health-care contractor, Health Professionals Ltd. of Peoria. It alleges abuse of Platcher, including that a sock was stuffed in his mouth and that he was pushed down metal stairs. "We have never been presented with any allegations of physical abuse as you outlined in that document," said Department of Corrections spokesman Sergio Molina, who has not seen the lawsuit and declined further comment. "We will respond in an appropriate forum." Platcher, 31, was serving a 40-year sentence in Menard Correctional Center for stabbing his mother to death in 2001. After being found unresponsive Dec. 25, he was taken to Memorial Hospital in nearby Chester, where he was pronounced dead. A coroner's inquest ruled March 30 that Platcher died of hypothermia. "He was allowed to freeze to death in their care," said John Julian, the Platchers' lawyer. "At the very least, their conduct was negligent and fell below the standard of care one would expect to be provided to inmates." Molina has attributed the temperature problem to two faulty valves that supplied heat to the prison's third floor medical unit, where Platcher was being held in solitary confinement. Molina also has said a prison nurse was fired and two other Department of Corrections employees were disciplined after Platcher's death. Health Professionals provided medical services at Menard until another provider won the contract in February, according to Molina. |
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