LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – The Pulaski County jail and its medical services
provider have settled a wrongful death lawsuit accusing them of denying an
inhaler to an asthmatic inmate who died in custody.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports attorneys said Thursday that Pulaski
County agreed to pay $50,000 and Oklahoma-based Turn Key Health Clinics will pay $375,000 to Sharon Lavette Alexander’s family.
Alexander’s daughter sued in early 2018 following the Dec. 14, 2016, death of her 41-year-old mother. Alexander had been arrested and booked into the jail a day earlier on a shoplifting charge. Her inhaler was confiscated at that point.
She died after spending the night in jail, during which time she was
continually refused access to her inhaler.
Alexander’s death has led to a new jail policy on inmate belongings,
specifically asthma inhalers.
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