Jeffrey Lillis
Jeffrey Lillis, 37, was a married father of five, and his attorneys say he was days away from being released to a drug-addiction program when he died. He was held at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility in Colorado and died on December 14, 2014, of sepsis caused by bacterial pneumonia. His family's lawsuit says he coughed blood, vomited and complained for days, that nurses and deputies did not respond promptly, and that he was found without a strong pulse in his cell. The sheriff's office reported the cause of death, and the defendants, including the county and private health contractors, did not admit the claims. Arapahoe County agreed in 2019 to pay $2.45 million to settle the lawsuit, while the county said medical staff could not determine the cause of his illness.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The sheriff's office attributes his death to sepsis caused by bacterial pneumonia, while his family's lawsuit says jail staff ignored his repeated cries for help and denied him timely medical care, and the county later settled for $2.45 million.
Reported by: Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Arapahoe County's statement (the agency that held him).
Lawsuit: His widow and children sued Arapahoe County and the county agreed to pay $2.45 million in 2019 to settle the lawsuit.
News reports (6)
- News report
- Jeffrey Lillis (Arapahoe County Detention Facility)
- Family sues Arapahoe County, private health care contractor for 2014 jail death
- Lawsuit Claims Jail Could Have Stopped Inmate's Death
- Colorado jail deaths steadily increased, more than doubled from 2011 to June of 2015
- Arapahoe County pays $2.45 million to family of inmate who died in his cell after repeatedly asking for help