Gonzalez v. Cecil County, Maryland.

• Position: FAILURE TO PROTECT - Brief Article

U.S. District Court

MEDICAL CARE

Gonzalez v. Cecil County, Maryland, 221 F.Supp.2d 611 (D.Md. 2002). The widow of a pretrial detainee who died while in custody filed a [section] 1983 action against a county, sheriff, and detention center medical personnel. The district court denied the defendants' motion to dismiss, in part, finding that fact issues remained as to whether the care provided to the detainee amounted to deliberate indifference. The detainee was admitted to a county detention center at approximately 5:00 p.m. Shortly after his admission he identified himself as a heroin user during a standard intake medical screening. He told three nurses employed by the detention center, upon his arrival, that he was likely to undergo acute heroin withdrawal symptoms. The only treatment provided to him at this time was to be placed on twice-daily doses of Clonidine, a blood pressure medication. The detainee allegedly became violently ill...