Family Sues Hamilton County Jail Over Torturous Death of Their Son
After a few days in jail, Britt complained he was not feeling well: He was having trouble breathing; his chest hurt, and he felt like he was going to pass out. He asked for medical help and then collapsed. A medical emergency was called, and a sergeant and three nurses immediately responded. He begged to go to the hospital, but the staff refused. Instead, he was strapped down in a restraint chair for several hours. After he was finally released from the chair, he was not medically evaluated again until days later when he was found in such critical condition that he was sent to the emergency room. He never recovered and died.
“People in jail deserve medical care, not punishment,” said Jennifer Branch, attorney for Britt’s family. “Tommy Britt had an infection in his heart that was destroying his aortic valve. His jailers knew he was suffering symptoms and that he begged them for help. But instead of treatment, they declared he was faking and strapped him in a restraint chair.
“He was essentially tortured,” explained Ms. Branch. “We brought this lawsuit to alert the Sheriff, who runs the jail, and the community, to the need to vastly improve the medical care at our jail.”
“My son suffered terribly at the jail,’’ said Lisa Britt, Tommy’s mother. “Things must change at the jail. This should not happen to anyone else.”
The lawsuit is currently pending in the Southern District of Ohio on summary judgement motions.
