Mitchell Everett Willis
Mitchell Everett Willis, 54, died on August 18, 2017, while held at the Oklahoma County Jail in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death a homicide, listing a fractured spine as the cause and acute PCP toxicity, hypertension and heart disease as contributing factors. According to the KOKH account, jail staff had placed him alone in a cell on suicide watch, and soon after, staff tried to remove his pants and a guard put a knee on his back; about fifteen minutes later he was found unresponsive on the cell floor. His estate's federal lawsuit says jail staff assaulted him, left him injured on the floor, and that the jail's medical provider failed to treat him, and the sheriff's office declined to name the employees involved while the criminal investigation was pending with the district attorney.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). The Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death a homicide from a fractured spine, with acute PCP toxicity and heart disease as contributing factors; his estate's federal lawsuit says jail staff assaulted him and left him injured on the floor, and that the jail's medical provider failed to treat him.
Reported by: Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); his estate's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His estate filed a federal lawsuit alleging that jail staff assaulted him and that the jail's medical provider failed to treat him, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.