Marquis Wagner
Marquis Wagner, 21, died in December 2021 after being held at the Jackson County Detention Center in Kansas City, Missouri. His family's wrongful death lawsuit says he was placed in a restraint chair while telling staff he could not breathe, complained of trouble breathing more than 20 times, and never received a medical evaluation or had his vital signs taken. The suit says guards found him not breathing, and he was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Jackson County agreed to pay $1.2 million to settle the family's claim, while claims against other defendants, including the medical service companies, are set for trial. The family's attorney said he may have been having a mental health episode.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). His family's wrongful death lawsuit says staff restrained him in a restraint chair while he said he could not breathe, never took his vital signs or gave him medical evaluation, and ignored more than 20 complaints of trouble breathing; the county settled for $1.2 million, and the claims against the medical companies remain set for trial.
Reported by: his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); his parents' lawsuit (family or their lawyers); attorney John Picerno (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued Jackson County over his death at the Jackson County Detention Center and the county settled the wrongful death case for $1.2 million, while claims against the medical service companies remain set for trial.