Richard Tavera
Richard Tavera, 24, was held in an isolation unit at Smith State Prison in south Georgia when he died in December 2014. Federal lawsuits say a guard on duty late on a Sunday night saw him wrap a bedsheet around a ceiling sprinkler and his neck, and that the guard called for help but did not enter the cell. The lawsuits allege that guards refused to go into the cell while he was attempting suicide, and that he died by hanging. The source reporting does not include the prison's account of events.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). Federal lawsuits say Richard Tavera hanged himself in an isolation cell and that guards refused to enter the cell while he was attempting suicide.
Reported by: federal lawsuits.
Lawsuit: Federal lawsuits allege that guards at Smith State Prison refused to enter Richard Tavera's cell while he was attempting suicide in December 2014, and no settlement or award amount is reported.