SPOKANE, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - A lawsuit alleges an inmate in Washington's Chelan County suffered from withdrawals so severe he vomited until he died in custody
Chelan County is facing a lawsuit over the death of Joseph Verville, who died in custody at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center. The suit alleges that Verville's death was preventable and was due to negligence on the part of the jail staff.
Verville was admitted into the jail on September 5, 2021, suffering from withdrawal symptoms. Despite informing his jailers about his condition, he was not placed on a withdrawal protocol until more than 24 hours later, the suit says.
The lawsuit claims that this protocol was not performed correctly and Verville's medical needs were not addressed. He eventually died after continuous vomiting.
The suit has been filed by the estate of Joseph Verville, represented by attorney Joshua L. Brothers, and Verville's mother Abigail Snyder. They allege that Chelan County failed to provide constitutionally adequate medical care and humane conditions of confinement.
The defendants in the case include Chelan County itself, which operates the Chelan County Regional Justice Center; Christopher Sharp, the Regional Justice Center Director; and Kami Aldrich, an L.P.N at the center.
The case was filed in the United States District Court for Eastern District of Washington on Jan. 10.