Samuel Bryant
Samuel Bryant, 46, died in September 2018 while held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, where he was in the jail's detox unit. His stepmother described him as having a "heart of gold" and said he had visited her hours before he was taken into custody. The Office of the Medical Investigator ruled the death an accident linked to methamphetamine toxicity, with opiate withdrawal listed as a contributing factor. His estate's lawsuit against the county, the jail and the medical contractor Centurion says staff ignored his screams and failed to act while he was held alone in a single cell, and that a nurse found him unresponsive about 50 minutes after he was last seen lying on his stomach.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). The Office of the Medical Investigator attributed the death to methamphetamine toxicity with opiate withdrawal, and classed it as an accident; his estate's lawsuit says jail staff and medical contractor Centurion ignored his screams and failed to act, and that his death was caused by medical malpractice and negligence.
Reported by: Office of the Medical Investigator (medical examiner or coroner); his estate's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His estate sued Bernalillo County and medical contractor Centurion, alleging that staff ignored his screams and failed to act while he was withdrawing in the detox unit.