Opinion ID: 1942963
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: daniel luethke

Text: At all relevant times, Luethke was a resident of Seward, Nebraska. The parties stipulated that [b]efore December 5, 2003, ... Luethke had displayed symptoms of bipolar disorder. He took medications for this condition. Luethke was adjudicated as mentally ill in Butler County, Nebraska, in 2000, and he had received mental health treatment at the Lincoln Regional Center and the Bryan Crisis Center in Lincoln. In the early morning hours of December 5, 2003, Luethke's mother called the Seward County sheriff and reported that she feared he could harm himself or others. She also reported, either during the telephone call or when deputies arrived, that Luethke had made a threatening statement. Sheriff's deputies took Luethke into custody on one felony and two misdemeanor charges and transported him to the Seward County jail. While lodged at the county jail, Luethke made threatening comments to the sheriff and his staff, broke the glass in his holding cell door, and flooded his cell floor with water. At the time of these actions, Luethke was lodged alone in a cell and on a suicide watch, because jail officials felt that he might harm himself or others. Due to Luethke's erratic behavior, the sheriff concluded that Luethke should be held elsewhere until his court appearance. The jail administrator contacted D & E about transferring Luethke to that facility as a safekeeper. In addition to serving as the reception center for all males incarcerated in state penal institutions, D & E assists counties by taking safekeepers under a contractual agreement. In addition, D & E processes returnees to the Nebraska penal system, whether they are parole violators, interstate transfers, or transfers from community correction centers. A deputy sheriff began the transport of Luethke from the Seward County jail to D & E in a patrol car equipped with a prisoner barrier separating the driver's compartment and rear passenger compartment. Luethke was placed in restraints for the transport. While en route, Luethke became agitated and the deputy called for backup. The sheriff arrived and assisted with the transport. When they arrived at D & E, the sheriff escorted Luethke to the admission area, removed the restraints, and instructed Luethke to go with a D & E officer. The sheriff and a D & E official executed a Contract for Safekeeping, in which the sheriff represented that Seward County had lawful custody of Luethke and want[ed] to procure a secure and convenient place of confinement for the safekeeper other than the county correctional facility or county jail. Cpl. Doug Cheney, the D & E admissions officer who initially took custody of Luethke, testified that Luethke was loud and appeared to be upset, mostly with the deputy who had assisted in the transport from Seward County. Luethke became calmer and more cooperative when the sheriff and deputy left, and Cheney did not perceive him to be a threat to the institution or a potential victim. Cpl. Jimmy Terrell, who observed Luethke during the initial admission process, described him as being very upset and demanding his medication. Terrell testified that he escorted Luethke to the D & E hospital and told Cpl. Daniel Wagner, who was on duty there, that Luethke should be kept separate from other inmates if possible and that he could go off at any time. Luethke was no longer agitated or upset at the time of his arrival at the hospital, and Terrell's comments to Wagner were based upon Terrell's 1- to 3-minute observation of Luethke at the time of his original admission to D & E. Wagner did not recall whether or not Terrell made these comments. Richard Randazzo, the admissions case manager at D & E, also observed Luethke at the time of his initial arrival in the early afternoon of December 5, 2003. Randazzo testified that Luethke was disruptive and abusive toward the sheriff and deputy upon arrival, but became calm and cooperative as soon as the sheriff and deputy left. Randazzo did not hear Terrell tell Wagner to place Luethke in a separate holding cell. At approximately 1:50 p.m. on that day, Randazzo conducted a case management interview with Luethke. During this interview, Luethke told Randazzo that he had a bipolar disorder but had not been taking medication. On a form entitled Behavioral Observations and Suicide Assessment, Randazzo noted that Luethke had received inpatient treatment for his bipolar disorder approximately 18 months prior to the intake. Based primarily upon his observations during the interview, Randazzo rated Luethke as a low risk for (1) violence toward other inmates, (2) violence toward staff, (3) general hostility, (4) victim potential, and (5) escape or security risk. Randazzo also noted on one of the forms completed during the interview: County ReportsLimited Space, Disciplinary Problem[,] Mental Health needs/Assaultive. According to Randazzo, Luethke insisted that he would not be at D & E for long because his family would provide money for a bond. Randazzo believed Luethke, which influenced Luethke's housing assignment. Given the potentially temporary nature of Luethke's stay, Randazzo assigned Luethke to hospital room No. 2. Despite this single-cell housing assignment, Randazzo did not have any concerns for Luethke's safety, and he knew that Luethke would be returning to a multiple-inmate holding cell until he completed intake and was transferred to his assigned housing.