Edwin Burl Mays III
Edwin Burl Mays III, 31, died on December 14, 2014, in a booking-area cell at the Deschutes County jail in Oregon. Court records filed by the county defendants say he died of a methamphetamine overdose. His estate's lawsuit alleges that deputies denied him medical care in the hours before his death, and surveillance video is reported to show deputies mocking him while they watched a football game. The county and the deputies deny responsibility for his death. The Oregon Department of Justice found insufficient evidence for criminal charges, and four deputies were disciplined.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). The county's court records attribute his death to a meth overdose, while his estate's lawsuit says deputies denied him medical care and watched him deteriorate on surveillance video instead of getting him hospital care.
Reported by: Deschutes County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Oregon Department of Justice (outside investigators); his estate's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His estate sued Deschutes County and its deputies, alleging they denied him medical care, and the county and deputies deny responsibility; no settlement or award amount has been reported.