Maurice Pendleton
Maurice Pendleton, 36, was a father of four who was on track to graduate from Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City. He was held at the Oklahoma County jail on July 18, 2017, when other men attacked him in an eighth-floor area of the jail, and he died at a hospital that day. Acting Sheriff P.D. Taylor called the attack gang-related, and four men were charged with first-degree manslaughter. Three men were later convicted of second-degree murder and one was acquitted, while the defense argued that Pendleton's sickle cell disease caused his death. His family's lawsuit alleges that jail staff knew an attack was likely and that supervision was lacking; in 2021 the county settled for $1.25 million while denying it had violated his rights.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). The state medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, the defense argued his sickle cell disease caused it, and his family's lawsuit says jail staff knew an attack was likely and failed to supervise the eighth-floor area.
Reported by: state medical examiner; Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); family's civil rights lawsuit (family or their lawyers); jury verdict in the criminal case.
Lawsuit: His family sued over his death, and Oklahoma County settled the civil rights lawsuit for $1.25 million in 2021 while denying it had violated his rights.
Sources (8)
- Gang violence blamed for latest Oklahoma County jail death
- Nine Oklahoma County jail inmates have died this year
- Four Oklahoma County Jail inmates charged with first-degree manslaughter
- 4 inmates charged following fatal attack at the Oklahoma County Jail
- Four inmates charged in Oklahoma County jail death
- Family of man beaten to death at Oklahoma County Jail files civil rights lawsuit
- Jurors convict three inmates, acquit one in Okla. inmate’s death
- Oklahoma County settles lawsuit over jail inmate's murder