James Kennedy
James Kennedy was 33 and left behind a son and two daughters. He was held at the Mahoning County Jail in Ohio, and in August 2020 he was found unresponsive in his cell and taken to a hospital, where he was released on bond while still in intensive care. He died on September 27, 2020; the death certificate lists acute pancreatitis, sepsis and pneumonia. His mother, Linda Fekety, says in a wrongful death lawsuit that jail and medical staff ignored his worsening condition and failed to give him necessary care, and that other people held there tried to help him during his seizures. The defendants deny the allegations and say they provided adequate care, and the motion to dismiss the case had not been ruled on at the time of reporting.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The death certificate lists acute pancreatitis, sepsis and pneumonia, and his mother Linda Fekety's wrongful death lawsuit says jail staff and Wellpath medical staff failed to give him necessary care as his condition worsened, while the defendants deny this.
Reported by: Mahoning County death certificate (medical examiner or coroner); Linda Fekety, mother, in wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2022 against the Mahoning County Jail, its medical provider Wellpath, and six medical staff, alleging they failed to give him necessary care; the defendants deny the allegations and have moved to dismiss, and no ruling or payment is reported.