A recently filed lawsuit on behalf of one of our clients has made something of a splash in the local news. We even made the front page on September 22. Here is a link to the first article. The daughter of a woman who died in the Shelby County Jail more than a year
ago is suing the county, the sheriff, the jail's health care provider, the city
of Harpersville and the probation services company in connection with the
death.
Shelby County resident Brittne A. Bell is suing on behalf of her mother
Rebecca Lynn Allred, 45, who died May 18, 2011 due to liver failure, according
to the lawsuit.
"Had Ms. Allred been given even rudimentary medical treatment when she
presented to the jail medical center, her condition would not have progressed to
fatality," the suit, filed by Birmingham attorney Mary-Ellen Bates, contends.
"Sadly, however, jail personnel repeatedly and callously denied her the right to
medical treatment of any sort, refusing to even see her and attempt a
diagnosis."
The suit was filed Monday and amended Friday to include Judicial Correction Services, the town of
Harpersville and the town's mayor.
The attorney for Shelby County said they are looking into the lawsuit's
allegations but "our preliminary investigation indicates that it has no
merit."
"We will continue to investigate it, but at this point the indication is that
it has no basis," said Frank "Butch" Ellis.
Judicial Correction Services is expected to respond later today, according to
a spokesman.
The health care company, Prison Healthcare LLC, a subsidiary of Baptist
Health Systems, and other named defendants, did not immediately respond to
requests for a response.
JCS, which contracts with about 100 municipalities in Alabama, is the target
of a lawsuit that led to a judge this summer charging the court system of
Harpersville with operating a "debtors prison" where people were
jailed for not paying fines and fees charged by the system.
Allred was jailed in Shelby County for not paying fines associated with a car
tag violation out of Harpersville, the suit says.
"Ms. Allred was indigent at the time of her arrest and therefore unable to
secure bail money," the suit states. "The 'bail' required for her release was
the amount of the original fine and additional fees added by JCS," the probation
company.
Read more about it here.
RELATED
Private probation oufits raise eyebrows over for-profit
services
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/09/daughter_of_woman_who_died_in.html
ago is suing the county, the sheriff, the jail's health care provider, the city
of Harpersville and the probation services company in connection with the
death.
Shelby County resident Brittne A. Bell is suing on behalf of her mother
Rebecca Lynn Allred, 45, who died May 18, 2011 due to liver failure, according
to the lawsuit.
"Had Ms. Allred been given even rudimentary medical treatment when she
presented to the jail medical center, her condition would not have progressed to
fatality," the suit, filed by Birmingham attorney Mary-Ellen Bates, contends.
"Sadly, however, jail personnel repeatedly and callously denied her the right to
medical treatment of any sort, refusing to even see her and attempt a
diagnosis."
The suit was filed Monday and amended Friday to include Judicial Correction Services, the town of
Harpersville and the town's mayor.
The attorney for Shelby County said they are looking into the lawsuit's
allegations but "our preliminary investigation indicates that it has no
merit."
"We will continue to investigate it, but at this point the indication is that
it has no basis," said Frank "Butch" Ellis.
Judicial Correction Services is expected to respond later today, according to
a spokesman.
The health care company, Prison Healthcare LLC, a subsidiary of Baptist
Health Systems, and other named defendants, did not immediately respond to
requests for a response.
JCS, which contracts with about 100 municipalities in Alabama, is the target
of a lawsuit that led to a judge this summer charging the court system of
Harpersville with operating a "debtors prison" where people were
jailed for not paying fines and fees charged by the system.
Allred was jailed in Shelby County for not paying fines associated with a car
tag violation out of Harpersville, the suit says.
"Ms. Allred was indigent at the time of her arrest and therefore unable to
secure bail money," the suit states. "The 'bail' required for her release was
the amount of the original fine and additional fees added by JCS," the probation
company.
Read more about it here.
RELATED
Private probation oufits raise eyebrows over for-profit
services
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/09/daughter_of_woman_who_died_in.html
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