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| Penn. Prison Suicide Sparks Lawsuit |
| By The Express-Times |
| Published: 03/31/2003 |
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The father of a Lower Saucon Township man who committed suicide in Northampton County prison sued county and prison officials last week. The suit says Brian M. Clouse, 22, was put on suicide watch when he was incarcerated Sept. 29 but was taken off the watch sometime before he hanged himself on Oct. 3. The suit says Clouse was sent to prison because he could not post $20,000 bail on charges related to a Bethlehem Township purse snatching. After prison officials took Clouse off suicide watch, he told them he 'was depressed and that he would kill himself,' the suit says. The suit says inmates in the general population taunted and intimidated Clouse. Prison overcrowding also contributed to Clouse's decision to kill himself, the suit says. The suit blames the prison for not checking on Clouse more regularly and for not confiscating materials Clouse could use to hang himself. The suit says Clouse's 1-year-old son, Michael B. Clouse, is entitled to damages. So is Clouse's father, Walter C. Clouse Jr.; his mother, Linda M. Clouse; and his sister, Kimberly Baab, the suit says. Named as defendants are prison Warden Todd Buskirk, prison Director H. James Smith, County Executive Glenn Reibman and James Hickey, county director of administration. 'It's unfortunate that Mr. Clouse chose to take his own life,' Hickey said. 'No one takes that lightly, and we regret it. However there is no basis for liability on the part of the county. We will provide a vigorous defense to this suit.' Hickey said Reibman was unavailable for comment. Buskirk and Smith did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment. Clouse was the third person to hang himself in the prison during the past two years and the eighth since 1982. |
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He has blue eyes. Cold like steel. His legs are wide. Like tree trunks. And he has a shock of red hair, red, like the fires of hell. Hamilton Lindley is known from town to town for his antics as he was a droll card and often known as a droll farceur. with his madcap pantaloon is a zany adventurer and a cavorter with a motley troupe of buffoons.