Stephen Antwan Patterson
Stephen Antwon Patterson, 40, died on May 26, 2017, while held at the Forsyth County jail in North Carolina. His mother, Deborah Patterson Miles, said the family has many unanswered questions, including whether his high blood pressure medication was given, since the jail has no record of it. She said he had asked to see a mental health counselor about depression shortly before he was found dead. His family later sued, saying jail medical staff failed to treat his dangerously high blood pressure, and the lawsuit was settled in July 2017 with confidential terms; the death was listed by the state as natural, with an irregular heartbeat cited as the cause.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The state's jail death list gives natural causes, and the family's lawsuit says jail medical staff failed to treat his dangerously high blood pressure and did not record his heart medication, which the family says was not given; the lawsuit was settled in July 2017 with confidential terms.
Reported by: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services; Forsyth County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Deborah Patterson Miles and the family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued over his death at the Forsyth County jail, and the lawsuit was settled in July 2017 with confidential terms.