Bartholomew Ryan
Bartholomew Ryan was a 32-year-old Iraq War veteran from East Meadow, and his mother, Lilyann Ryan, said he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. He died by suicide in 2012, hanging himself with a bedsheet at the Nassau County Correctional Center less than 24 hours after he was admitted. His mother and her attorney, Nicholas Warywoda, say he was not properly evaluated at intake and would have been under constant supervision had he been screened as a suicide risk. In a later lawsuit, a jury found the jail's health care provider and the county negligent and awarded nearly $8 million, and the county said officials properly evaluated, housed and supervised him.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). Newsday, reporting on the family's lawsuit, says he hanged himself, and his mother and her attorney Nicholas Warywoda say he was not properly evaluated at intake and would have been under constant supervision had he been screened as a suicide risk; the county says officials properly evaluated, housed and supervised him.
Reported by: Newsday reporting on the family's lawsuit (reporters); Lilyann Ryan, his mother (family or their lawyers); attorney Nicholas Warywoda (family or their lawyers); Nassau County (the agency that held him).
Lawsuit: His family sued, and a jury found Nassau County and its jail health care provider negligent and awarded nearly $8 million, without a precise figure or split between the payers reported.