Jeffery Pendleton
Jeffrey Pendleton, 59, is survived by two brothers, who later filed a federal lawsuit over his treatment. He tested positive for COVID-19 and was taken to Stroger Hospital on March 30, 2020, while he was held at Cook County Jail. An autopsy found that he died of COVID-19 infection, with hypertension and pulmonary disease as contributing factors, and the state's jail death report lists his death at the jail on April 5, 2020, while ABC7 reported that he died at Stroger Hospital. The brothers' lawsuit alleges that the county shackled him to a bed while he was battling the virus. The Cook County sheriff's office said his death was likely due to complications of COVID-19, and his public defender said the death was preventable.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness. The autopsy found COVID-19 infection with hypertension and pulmonary disease as contributing factors, the Cook County Sheriff's Office called it natural causes, and his brothers' federal lawsuit says the county shackled him to a bed while he had the virus.
Reported by: Autopsy (medical examiner or coroner); Cook County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); his public defender; his two brothers' federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His two surviving brothers sued Cook County in federal court, alleging he was shackled to a hospital bed while battling COVID-19.