Joseph Murphy
Joseph Murphy was a 49-year-old Iraq veteran from Juneau, and his widow, Tammy Jablonski Murphy, has spent years seeking answers about his death. He died of a heart attack on August 14, 2015, in his cell at Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau, where he was being held. A state review found that he told staff he had chest pain, that staff did not call for medical help, and that he collapsed about ten minutes after banging on his cell door for care. The estate's lawsuit against the state and three employees alleges that staff ignored his requests for help, and his widow says he had a treatable heart condition and was not allowed to take his heart medication with him. The state has said it cannot comment on the ongoing litigation.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). A state review attributed the death to a heart attack but found staff did not call for medical help after he complained of chest pain, and attorney Mark Choate's wrongful death complaint and his widow, Tammy Jablonski Murphy, dispute the state's account, saying staff ignored his requests for help and withheld his heart medication.
Reported by: Department of Corrections review led by special assistant to Gov. Bill Walker (the agency that held him); attorney Mark Choate, in a wrongful death complaint (family or their lawyers); widow Tammy Jablonski Murphy (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His estate sued the State of Alaska and three employees over his death at Lemon Creek Correctional Center, and the state has not commented on the ongoing litigation.