Estate, wife of inmate found dead in Trumbull jail suing county

WARREN

The estate and wife of an inmate who was found unresponsive while incarcerated at the Trumbull County jail, and died a short time later, has filed a lawsuit, saying there was a failure to provide proper medical care.

The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Youngstown, names as defendants the county, jail, Sheriff Paul Monroe, the jail’s medical director and others.

It alleges the defendants “knew or should have known, of the substantial and obvious risk of serious harm which could result from the denial of the necessary medical treatment” to Gregory Wright, 60, of Sheridan Avenue Northeast, who died May 5.

Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, county coroner, ruled in September that Wright’s death was natural, probably the result of a heart attack connected to high blood pressure and multiple heart problems.

Germaniuk said Wright also tested positive for fentanyl in his blood but not in the lethal range, “thus making this a drug-related death unlikely.” Fentanyl is a frequently cited overdose drug.

Wright had been in the county jail two days when he was found unresponsive.

The suit alleges the jail’s policies and procedures “failed to provide measures adequate for the treatment of inmates with serious medical needs including the life-threatening effects of unassisted drug withdrawal and the physical and mental emergencies that result.”

The suit says Wright informed the jail staff of his medical issues.

Read more about the case in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.