Opinion ID: 4561306
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Mr. Ortiz’s Detention and Death

Text: Mr. Ortiz entered the detention facility in January 2016, and Nurse Anne Robinson conducted a medical intake. During the intake, Mr. Ortiz looked ill (according to another inmate) and told Nurse Robinson that he would soon go into withdrawal. Nurse Robinson arranged for a doctor to order medications, but Mr. Ortiz allegedly didn’t receive them. During Mr. Ortiz’s first day in the facility, his supervising officer was Officer Dylan Chavez. Mr. Ortiz vomited in front of Officer Chavez and told him that the vomit was bloody. The following morning, Mr. Ortiz met with Officer Anthony Valdo. Officer Valdo was responsible for assigning an appropriate housing unit. The next day, Officer Tyler Lopez worked in Mr. Ortiz’s housing unit. Officer Lopez allegedly saw vomit on the floor and watched Mr. Ortiz dry heaving. That night, Officer Leonard Garcia came on duty. According to another inmate, Mr. Ortiz groaned throughout the night. Officer Garcia and Corporal Cristobal Gallegos contend that they checked on Mr. Ortiz the next morning and saw that he was not in distress. For example, Corporal Gallegos states that he was not alarmed after 2 passing Mr. Ortiz’s cell and hearing him pushing and making noises on the toilet. And Officer Garcia asserts that he saw Mr. Ortiz minutes later. Within 26 minutes of this alleged interaction with Officer Garcia, Mr. Ortiz died. His corpse was found in a cell covered with blood and feces.