Nicholas Christie
Nicholas Christie was a retired boilermaker who had traveled from Ohio to visit his brother in Naples, Florida. On May 31, 2009, he was held at the Lee County Jail in Fort Myers, where, according to his widow, Joyce Christie, she pleaded with authorities to take him to a hospital. The Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death a homicide, citing heart and brain failure contributed to by pepper spray used by jailers, and he was taken to Gulf Coast Medical Center, where he died two days later. The State Attorney's Office declined to prosecute, and his widow's wrongful death lawsuit was settled for $4 million.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (neglect alleged). The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide from heart and brain failure contributed to by pepper spray, and his widow's lawsuit says jailers pepper sprayed him, fogged his cell and restrained him in a chair, and that staff failed to get him timely care.
Reported by: Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); his widow's wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His widow filed a wrongful death lawsuit over his death, and the case was settled for $4 million.