Vernon White
Vernon White was 29 years old, and his family's attorney, Patrick Jackson, described him as a young man. He died on October 13, 2015, at Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, Louisiana, after being placed in a cell with another person held there. Ouachita Parish authorities said he died of fatal injuries from being kicked and stomped by his cellmate, and video shows the attack out of camera view while guards did not intervene for a long period. The same video shows he had been body-slammed and had two seizures without receiving medical treatment. LaSalle Corrections blamed the cellmate for the injuries, while the family's attorneys say he had already suffered life-threatening injuries before he was placed in the cell, and the family's lawsuit against LaSalle was settled for a confidential amount.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). Ouachita Parish authorities say his cellmate Erie Moore kicked and stomped him to death, while the family's attorneys dispute the timing of the injuries, saying he was already fatally hurt before being placed in the cell, and jail video shows he had two seizures without receiving medical treatment.
Reported by: Ouachita Parish authorities; autopsy; family's attorneys (family or their lawyers); family's wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued LaSalle Corrections over his death, and the settlement amount is confidential.