Norman Fisher
Norman Fisher, 47, lived in Woodland, worked in a carbon factory and had two children, and people who knew him said he loved to fish, barbecue and make people laugh. He was held at the Sacramento County Main Jail in May 2023, and his cellmate says he repeatedly asked staff for help as he grew seriously ill and complained of congestion. His family's federal lawsuit says staff ignored requests for medical care for about ten days and treated his illness as the flu before he was sent to Sutter Medical Center, where he was placed on life support and died on May 27, 2023. The death certificate lists septic shock, a bacterial infection, acute kidney failure and pneumonia as the causes. The county later agreed to pay $1.35 million to his family and child, and an independent medical report said he should have been sent to the hospital weeks sooner.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The family's federal lawsuit says jail staff ignored repeated requests for medical care over about ten days and treated his illness as flu, while the death certificate lists septic shock, pneumonia and acute kidney failure as causes; an independent medical report said he should have been sent to the hospital weeks sooner.
Reported by: Sacramento County death certificate (medical examiner or coroner); family's federal lawsuit (attorney Mark Merin) (family or their lawyers); independent medical report; cellmate; The Sacramento Bee (reporters).
Lawsuit: His family sued in federal court over his death, and Sacramento County agreed to pay $1.35 million to his family and child.
Sources (5)
- A Sacramento jail inmate died in May. The Sheriff’s Office never told the public.
- Family files lawsuit over man’s death in Sacramento County jail, says calls for medical care ignored
- 10 days of hell in Sacramento jail: Lawsuit says inmate died after pleas for help ignored
- $10 Million Lawsuit Filed against Sacramento Main Jail after Another Inmate Death – Pleading Charges Staff Ignored Deathly Ill Man, Pleadings of Cellmate
- Sacramento County in last year paid $2.4M to families of men who died in custody