Woloszyn v. County of Lawrence.

• Position: Prisoner suicide suit - Brief Article

U.S. Appeals Court

SUICIDE

Woloszyn v. County of Lawrence, 396 F.3d 314 (3rd Cir. 2005). The administratrix of a pretrial detainee who committed suicide in jail brought a [section] 1983 action and wrongful death claims against and county and corrections officers. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants and the administratrix appealed. The appeals court affirmed, finding that the administratrix failed to establish that the corrections officers were aware of the detainee's vulnerability to suicide. The court noted that even though a captain said he would put the detainee on five-minute checks, he also said that he would follow a nurse's advice. The nurse found the detainee to be polite, cooperative and alert, and cleared the detainee for one-hour checks for signs of alcohol withdrawal. The detainee told a booking officer he was not suicidal and appeared to be in good spirits. The court...