Edward Patterson
Edward Patterson, 28, left three children, according to the lawsuit filed on their behalf, and had been held at the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans for nearly three years. His family says he overdosed on November 26, was taken to hospital and recovered, and was then returned to the same tier, where he collapsed in his cell on December 1, 2018. His father, Edward Lee Wilson, said the family was devastated, and the lawsuit says deputies waited more than 30 minutes before calling emergency medical services. The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office toxicology report found he died of acute fentanyl toxicity, and the lawsuit alleges contraband was a long-standing problem at the jail. The lawsuit names the sheriff, jail officials and the medical provider as defendants.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office toxicology report found acute fentanyl toxicity, while his family's lawsuit says deputies waited more than 30 minutes after he collapsed in his cell before calling emergency medical services.
Reported by: Orleans Parish Coroner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); family lawsuit.
Lawsuit: His family sued the sheriff, jail officials, and the medical provider, alleging that deputies waited more than 30 minutes before calling emergency medical services and that contraband was a long-standing problem at the jail; no settlement or award amount has been reported.