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The family of a man who starved to death in an Arkansas jail because he couldn’t post his $100 bail is suing after his medication was taken away and he had to eat his own feces.
Larry Eugene Price Jr., 51, died at the Sebastian County Detention Center in August 2021, after being held for just over a year at the center awaiting trial on a terrorist threat charge, a felony.
Price, who had a history of serious mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, had been held in solitary confinement at the county facility, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit against Sebastian County accused the jail and his medical provider of neglecting Price as he ate and drank less over the course of a year and his weight dropped from 185 pounds to 90 pounds.
Jail staff also discontinued Price’s mental health medications after he refused to take them, the lawsuit says, and made no effort to follow up with the inmate to address his mental health needs.
Price was arrested in August 2020 after he entered the Fort Smith Police Department and threatened officers while pointing a finger as if she was pulling an imaginary trigger, according to the lawsuit. Price, who also had a developmental disability, was homeless at the time of his arrest and did not have an actual weapon.
Larry Eugene Price Jr., 51, died at the Sebastian County Detention Center in August 2021. Price, who had a history of serious mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, had been held in solitary confinement at county facilities.
His basic cell had cartons of food and some towels on the floor.
He was held in solitary confinement while at the detention center.
He was found in his cell wide-eyed, naked, with dried saliva in his mouth, and in a pool of stagnant water. He had reportedly begun eating his own feces and drinking his urine prior to his death, according to news week.
Even after his death, the jail continued to mark Price and his cell as “fine,” Newsweek reported.
“Larry Price suffered in the torturous death throes of his untreated mental disorder for months as prison health care and security staff watched him waste away, apathetic to his life-threatening mental health and medical needs and the cruelty of his confinement. “says the lawsuit. saying.
“I was horrified: a man with a mental and developmental disability, who couldn’t pay his low bail amount, was held in solitary confinement for a year,” attorney Erik Heipt told Newsweek. ‘He was not serving a sentence. He was awaiting trial the entire time, for a crime he was not mentally capable of committing.
“There is no excuse for an atrocity like this.”
Heipt said Price’s case is a perfect example of “everything that is wrong with the cash bail system.”
Punish the poor. Basically, he was jailed for being in a mental health crisis. He didn’t hurt anyone. In any case, he was the one who needed help. Instead of getting him that help, they took him to jail and locked him up in solitary confinement for a year. This was a colossal systemic collapse,” the Seattle-based lawyer said.
The lawsuit was filed against Sebastian County and Turn Key Health Clinics LLC, the jail’s medical provider, along with two Turn Key employees. It also lists several unnamed employees of the Turn Key and county jail as defendants.
Sebastian County Judge Steve Hotz said the sheriff is conducting an internal review of Price’s case.
He entered jail at 185 pounds and died at just 90 pounds (pictured). He was trapped in the facility for more than a year because he couldn’t pay his $100 bail.
He was found in his cell wide-eyed, naked, with dried saliva in his mouth, and in a pool of stagnant water.
He was in the water so long his feet got wrinkled (pictured)
He also reportedly began eating his own feces and drinking his urine before he died.
‘The county places a high priority on the safety of every person in our jail. We have medical staff available to treat inmates who need care,” Hotz said in an email to AP. “The sheriff is conducting an internal review of this situation and looks forward to hearing more in the future.”
According to the lawsuit, inspections at the jail over the years identified issues such as overcrowding, understaffing and inadequate space at county facilities.
The Arkansas State Police launched an investigation into the incident and turned its results over to Sebastian County without any recommendation for charges, which is typical, according to Newsweek. The prosecutor replied to the police that no charges would be filed.
Price has diagnosed mental health issues, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
They also took her medication after she refused to take it, but the jail did not follow up to manage her mental illness.
His family is suing Sebastian County and Turn Key Health Clinics LLC, the jail’s medical provider, along with two Turn Key employees.
“I personally reviewed the entire Arkansas State Police investigative file, which includes interviews with Detention Center personnel, Arkansas State Police reports, and the autopsy report, prior to making this decision,” the officer wrote. Prosecutor Daniel Shue.
“It is the opinion of this office that no criminal charges can be brought against any person in connection with this death.”
Sebastian County established a mental health court, but it was after Price was arrested and therefore did not apply to him. The court is supposed to look at other options for the mentally ill, like rehab centers, instead of jail.
Price was at home in the Sebastian County Detention Center (pictured)
Price has been arrested several times before and had several run-ins with police, according to police spokesman Aric Mitchell.
“I don’t even have a count of how many interactions we had with Mr. Price, but it was a lot,” she told Newsweek. ‘That day, he was more agitated than usual.’
Mitchell said he was stunned to find out how Price died, as many police officers believed he had died of COVID-19.
“Oh my gosh, that’s horrendous,” he told the outlet.