Zackary Moffitt
Zackary Moffitt, 33, died on July 13, 2013, after being held at the Summit County Jail in Colorado. Sources say he had several days of vomiting, hallucinations and delirium, with alcohol withdrawal named as the cause, before he had a heart attack in a holding cell and was placed on life support. His family's federal civil rights lawsuit, brought with attorney David Lane, alleges jail staff did not get him medical care and that he would have survived with it. Jail officials said he was exhibiting suicidal tendencies, and a state review found no wrongdoing, while the county has reached a preliminary $3.5 million settlement with the family that was not final when these reports were published.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The sheriff's office called it an apparent cardiac arrest during a confrontation with deputies, but his family's federal lawsuit says jail staff did not get him medical care for alcohol withdrawal and that he would have survived with it.
Reported by: Summit County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); his family's federal civil rights lawsuit (family or their lawyers); news report.
Lawsuit: His family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit over his death and reached a preliminary $3.5 million settlement with Summit County, which was not yet final at the time of reporting.