Michael Sabbie
Michael Sabbie, 35, was held at the Bi-State Justice Center jail in Texarkana, Texas, and was found dead in his cell on July 22, 2015. His family's federal lawsuit says he repeatedly told staff he could not breathe, that his heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure and diabetes were not properly treated, and that he was pepper sprayed and restrained by officers before he died. The jail's custodial death report listed the death as natural. The family and LaSalle Corrections, the private company that ran the jail, settled the lawsuit in 2019 on undisclosed terms.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The jail's custodial death report listed the death as natural, while his family's federal lawsuit says staff ignored his breathing complaints, withheld medication and monitoring for his heart disease and diabetes, and pepper sprayed him before he died.
Reported by: Bi-State jail custodial death report (the agency that held him); his family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued LaSalle Corrections, Bowie County, the City of Texarkana and jail staff in federal court in May 2017, and the family and LaSalle Corrections settled in 2019 on undisclosed terms.