Opinion ID: 461445
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: A review of the evidence.

Text: 19 In this case we believe that the district court's decision to grant defendant's motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict was erroneous. The evidence indicates the following. Several police officers testified that the pre-trial detention center was inadequately staffed and that it was very difficult to do one's job properly. For example, Officer Marshall testified that he often worked a double shift at both the new and old detention centers because there was a shortage of officers. 3 (TR V at 66-67). Most importantly for the purpose of this case he testified that they were short four or five officers on his shift, i.e., 11:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M., on January 3 and 4, 1983, when Larry Gene Anderson died at the pre-trial detention center. (TR V at 69). Additionally, he testified that he was in receiving alone that night because another officer assigned to receiving, Officer Snipes, was off doing someone else's job. (TR V at 77). 20 He testified that Officer Pickering, who brought Anderson to the detention center, informed him that Mr. Anderson had taken a large quantity of pills. (TR V at 72). 4 However, Officer Pickering denied having any knowledge that Mr. Anderson had taken any drugs and also denied making the statement to Officer Marshall. (TR IV at 57). However, Pickering did testify that Mr. Anderson appeared intoxicated. (TR IV at 69). Mr. Anderson also told Officer Marshall that he was overdosing on drugs and that he was sick and needed to go to the hospital. (TR V at 77 and 87). Marshall testified that he took no action because there was no medical staff present on that shift. (TR V at 80 and 89). Additionally, he testified that there was only one officer on duty on each floor in the pre-trial detention center on the night of January 3rd and 4th even though two officers were required. 5 Finally, he indicated that it was very busy and hectic that evening and due to the shortage of staff it was impossible to check on the inmates as often as needed. (TR V at 90). 21 Lieutenant Sarah B. Irvin, the shift commander that evening, testified that no medical staff worked on her shift from 12:00 A.M. to 7:00 A.M. (TR V at 116). She testified that the medical staff's shift ran only until midnight, thus, they had only an hour's coverage. (TR V at 106) (See infra slip op. pg. 1220, pg. 684 for further discussion). Further, she testified that there were not enough officers on duty and that four to six more officers could have been used for the shift. (TR V at 117). It was her belief that more officers were needed in the new jail due to its size. (TR V at 116). She stated that she had received complaints from officers on her shift regarding the understaffing and that she had spoken to her supervisors about the need for more personnel and that she finally quit asking because it was like whipping a dead horse. (TR V at 116-117). She also testified that it is standard operating procedure for her, as shift commander, to check on every detainee at least once during her shift but that she was not able to check on Mr. Anderson. (TR V at 123). 22 Officer Tommy Smith testified that at times on his shift, i.e., 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., there were as few as sixteen officers working when approximately 25 were required. (TR V at 171). In fact, he stated they were short of staff most of the time. (TR V at 172). He further testified that the 11:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. shift is normally one of the busiest shifts. (TR V at 172). At the new pre-trial detention center the work required on this shift was very strenuous because the facility was much larger and that they came over to the new facility with the same amount of understaffing. (TR V at 172). The shortage of staff, according to Smith, made it impossible to check on the detainees every half-hour as required. (TR V at 176). He also asserted that he had complained about understaffing at the Pre-trial Detention Center but felt that it was like a voice crying in the wilderness. (TR V at 172-173). He further testified that there was a shortage of people on his shift beginning at 7:00 A.M. on January 4, 1983, the morning when Mr. Anderson was found dead in his cell. (TR V at 176). 23 Plaintiff also called two expert witnesses. Dr. Paul Siehl, a physician employed by Correctional Medical Systems, testified regarding minimum health care standards at jails. Essentially he testified that if a correctional officer knows or has reason to believe that a detainee has taken a large quantity of drugs, he should immediately notify the health care provider to examine the patient. 6 (TR IV at 37-38). William Alexander was also called. He was employed by Correctional Medical Systems as a director of operations overseeing the health care in a number of correctional institutions in Georgia. (TR IV at 40-41). The Fulton County Jail was one of the facilities. (TR IV at 41). He testified that if an individual detainee states that he is overdosing on drugs, the person needs to be referred to someone who can properly evaluate the complaint, preferably medical personnel at the facility. If none is available, the detainee should be referred to a community hospital or an outside facility where health care can be provided. (TR IV at 45-57). Mr. Alexander testified for plaintiff under subpoena and not voluntarily. (TR IV at 47). 24 Thomas J. Pocock, the deputy director of the Bureau of Corrections with specific responsibility for the Detention Center, also testified. (TR VI at 346). He stated that if the screening officer, upon observing the physical appearance of the prisoner, detects no serious illness or injury, then the prisoner is admitted to the facility. (TR VI at 352). He testified that the jail had a minimum staffing level of twenty personnel per watch, irrespective of food service personnel, medical personnel, etc. (TR VI at 363). He further testified that there were twenty persons on duty the night Mr. Anderson died. (TR VI at 364). Additionally, he maintained that in obtaining federal funds for the new facility, the City had to accommodate various aspects of the new jail, including staffing to meet certain standards. (TR VI at 365). Thus, he stated strongly that the jail was adequately staffed on January 4, 1983. (TR VI at 370). 25 J.D. Hudson, Director of Bureau of Corrections for the City of Atlanta, testified that as Director of the Bureau of Corrections, he established the formal policies of the City of Atlanta to insure the health and safety of the inmates. (TR V at 244). According to his testimony, the minimum number of officers required on any given shift at the Atlanta Pre-trial Detention Center was 23. 7 (TR V at 216). He also testified that it was his belief that the average number of officers on duty at the pre-trial detention center on any given shift was 13. (TR V at 217). Director Hudson, however, did not at any time admit that the jail was understaffed. He testified, [t]he jail that we operate is a state of the art. We have adequate staff that has been trained and retained.... We have some of the best officers, the most professional officers in the country, and one of the best jails in the country. It is not understaffed. (TR V at 217). 26 He did indicate, reluctantly, that he had received complaints from officers that more personnel was needed. (TR V at 222). Furthermore, Standard Operating Procedure No. 81-10-SOP-BCS, issued and signed by him as director, set out the duties to be performed by the health care provider during all shifts, including the 11:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. shift; however, no health care provider was required to be at the center on the 11:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. shift. Medical personnel were on call, either by beeper or phone. (TR VI at 239). The standard operating procedures and special orders issued by Hudson further called for a full complement of staffing of health care personnel at the Pre-trial Detention Center on a 24 hour, seven day a week basis. (TR VI at 243). A nurse was required to be on duty to make a visual observation of each detainee brought into the Pre-trial Detention Center to assess normal appearance and conditions versus abnormal appearance and to inspect the detainee's physical anatomy. (TR VI at 249). However, no nurse was ever hired to perform these duties on the 11:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. shift. 8 (TR VI at 250-251). Mr. Hudson further testified that part of the standard operating procedures required for the detention areas to be checked every 30 minutes for the health and well-being of the detainees. (TR VI at 243). 27 Carl J. Weisgerber, who was a detainee at the Pre-trial Detention Center at the time of Mr. Anderson's death, testified that he tried to explain to the duty officer on the 11:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. shift that he was on heart pills and needed to see a doctor or nurse but was continually told that he would have to wait. (TR V at 189). He also testified that he overheard an officer complain to another officer that he was the only one on the floor and could not do the entire job himself. 28 Most importantly, for the purposes of this case, he testified that he saw Mr. Anderson that night at the Detention Center and that he could not walk without the support of the officers and that Mr. Anderson told the officers that he was having trouble seeing and that he was sick and needed to go to a hospital. (TR V at 185). He further indicated that it was obvious from Mr. Anderson's looks that he was heavily under the influence of drugs and that he could not stand alone, his eyes were very red, and he was slobbering. (TR V at 185). Additionally, he testified that the officers were complaining about the lack of personnel and that they could not do their jobs properly. (TR V at 190). 9 29 The Fulton County Medical Examiner, Doctor Stivers also testified at trial. He stated that Mr. Anderson could have lived from the amount of drugs that he ingested. His testimony was that Mr. Anderson died at approximately 4:00 A.M. from acute barbiturate intoxication. (TR V at 141). His death was in all probability preceded by at least some period in a coma. (TR V at 143). Despite the officers' testimony that they checked on Mr. Anderson at 4:30 A.M. and at 6:00 A.M., his testimony indicated that this was unlikely. He did not believe that Mr. Anderson could have spoken or stood up at these times. (TR V at 145). This testimony was based upon his examination and autopsy of Larry Gene Anderson. Mr. Anderson was not found dead in his cell until about 9:25 A.M. At this time, full rigor mortis and lividity had set in and Dr. Stivers stated that this process took at least several hours after death. He placed the time of death somewhere between 4:00 A.M. and 5:00 A.M. (TR V at 145). 30