Opinion ID: 2757495
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Williams’s Conduct and Jordan’s Death

Text: Defendant Williams, a licensed practical nurse, arrived around 2:00 p.m. on July 8, 2010, to begin her shift at BCCC. Jordan’s medical records contain handwritten notes made by Williams at 4:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 9:45 p.m. on July 8. At 4:00 p.m. (1600 hours), BCCC officers called a “code blue” to request medical assistance at Jordan’s cell. Williams responded to the request and discovered Jordan lying supine on the floor with his hand under his head and his 5 Case: 13-15702 Date Filed: 12/04/2014 Page: 6 of 27 right leg elevated. Jordan said that he was sick and had “passed out.” Jordan asked to go to the hospital and told Williams, “[w]hen I was at Metro they sent me to the hospital and gave me IV fluids” and “I feel worse now than then.” Jordan also said that he had not taken his medication in two or three months. Jordan’s skin was warm and dry, his blood pressure was 98/72, his heart rate was 85 bpm, and his oxygen saturation was 100 percent. Jordan had been told to drink Gatorade and had drunk half of a Gatorade jug by 4:00 p.m. Williams arranged for Jordan to be moved from his cell block to the medical block and placed on general watch. According to Williams’s note at 4:30 p.m. (1630 hours), Williams was informed that Jordan’s mother had called the medical unit and told staff that “[Jordan’s] going to pass out!” and to “docket this also!” Jordan saw his mother at visitation earlier that day. According to BCCC officers, Jordan “had ambulated fine to visitation and back to [the] cell block,” and Jordan’s mother said during visitation that Jordan “need[ed] to go to the hospital.” Around 6:30 p.m. (1830 hours), an officer in the medical block called Williams and reported that Jordan was vomiting. Williams noted that Jordan was “[m]oaning and [said he] needed to go [to] the hospital!!” At this time, Williams called Dr. Sherman and Dr. Sherman verbally instructed Williams to give Jordan 25 milligrams of Phenergan (a sedative that alleviates nausea) and clear liquids such as chicken broth. Williams went to the medical block and found Jordan lying 6 Case: 13-15702 Date Filed: 12/04/2014 Page: 7 of 27 on a mat on the floor. Williams administered the Phenergan to Jordan intramuscularly for his nausea and vomiting and gave him two cups of warm broth. Jordan continued to complain about having “never felt this bad” and being “dehydrated.” Williams “[e]ncouraged [Jordan] to sip liquids only”; Jordan “[t]olerated [the injection of Phenergan] well”; and Jordan took a “[f]ew sips of broth.” The note also states that “[e]ncouragement [was] given!” by Williams. Williams’s notes reflect that after 6:30 p.m., she twice made calls to the officers in the medical block to check on Jordan, and she personally went to the medical block to check on Jordan once during the night. Williams made the following entries at 7:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 9:45 p.m.: 1930 Per officer inmate asleep. Chest rising and falling. No complaints. J Williams LPN 2000 Per officer inmate lying on mat watching TV. J Williams LPN 2145 Went to M [Block]. Inmate lying in floor on mat. Pulled blanket up and closed his eyes. Hopefully going back to sleep. No further complaints of [nausea and vomiting] voiced. J Williams LPN 1 At 1:30 a.m. on July 9, 2010, a coroner for Baldwin County pronounced Jordan dead. A state pathologist recorded Addison’s disease as the cause of Jordan’s death. 1 In his affidavit, Walker states that “[n]o one came to check on Jordan after the broth was brought in.” It is unclear whether Walker is saying nobody came into the cell or no officer even looked in the window to the cell. For purposes of summary judgment, it is undisputed that Williams did at least call the officers twice to check on Jordan. Williams does not maintain that she entered Jordan’s cell when she went to the medical block to check on his status. 7 Case: 13-15702 Date Filed: 12/04/2014 Page: 8 of 27 An investigation ensued. The Alabama Bureau of Investigation (“Bureau”) prepared a summary of its findings to which it attached a statement given by Jemal Demetrius Walker, Jordan’s cellmate in the medical block. In his 2010 statement, Walker said “JORDAN came in the cell . . . about 4:45 P.M.”, after which he “vomited and WALKER helped JORDAN to the restroom on several occasions” because “JORDAN was not able to move around or walk at all without being helped.” “JORDAN told WALKER he was not going to make it[,]” but “WALKER helped JORDAN to drink some of his chicken broth and Gatorade.” “[A]round 8:00 or 9:00 P.M.,” a nurse “gave JORDAN a shot,” and “JORDAN told WALKER again he was not going to make it through the night.” “Around 11:00 P.M., WALKER helped JORDAN get situated on his mat on the floor then WALKER got back in his bunk.” “A few minutes passed when JORDAN looked up at WALKER, smiled, took two deep breaths, closed his eyes and bowed his head.” “WALKER . . . touched [JORDAN] and could feel he was warm” and “asked him if he was alright,” but he “did not answer.” “After about five minutes WALKER went back over to JORDAN and [discovered that he] was cold to the touch, had no pulse and his lips were purple,” at which time “WALKER then notified corrections officers . . . .” 8 Case: 13-15702 Date Filed: 12/04/2014 Page: 9 of 27