Inmate's family questions death

Saturday, May 29, 2004

Inmate's family questions death
Man, 36, died of methadone overdose given by jail staff

By HECTOR CASTRO
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Damon Henderson's frequent run-ins with police had him in and out of the King County Jail for much of his adult life, but his most recent incarceration proved fatal.

In December, Henderson, 36, died while in custody when medical staff at the jail gave him a lethal dose of methadone to treat pain connected with his sickle cell anemia.

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According to documents filed May 12 in King County Superior Court as part of the police review, Henderson, who had a long history of criminal offenses, was booked into the jail Nov. 16 for violating a protection order.

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An autopsy revealed that Henderson's death was caused by "the acute combination of methadone and promethazine intoxication."

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According to the court documents, the Medical Examiner's Office suggested that medical providers at the jail calculated Henderson's dosage based on the amount a recovering heroin addict would require. But Henderson, who was not a heroin user, did not have the tolerance for the drug that an addict would have built up. Hence, the dosage he was given was lethal.

More of this sad story at this

IN a personal note, I'm sadden to think that this boy was put in isolation (maximum security) and denied treatment in the manner that was proven successful for his condition. In my opinion, those in charge of this jail and the medical personal are responsible for this young mans death.