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SALT LAKE CITY — After an inmate died at the Salt Lake County Jail in November 2013, a jury hit prison contractor Wellcon Inc. with a $2 million fine on Tuesday.
According to a complaint filed in Utah's 3rd District Court, Jeremy Aus died after being booked into the Salt Lake County jail and denied necessary medication, leading to withdrawal effects and his death.
"Jeremy needlessly suffered from benzodiazepine withdrawal. The prescription wasn't given simply because he was accused of a crime," co-lead counsel Emily S. Madden said.
Aus was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Nov. 6, 2013, and "had been on a daily Clonazepam prescription for over 10 years."
According to the National Institute of Health, Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine variant used in treating acute panic and anxiety disorders, requiring a specific withdrawal process to be followed to prevent seizures and other side effects.
The filed complaint alleges that an employee of Wellcon knew about Aus' use and dependence on Clonazepam but "abruptly and dangerously discontinued Aus' prescription," further stating that both the employee and Wellcon have discontinued medications similar to Clonazepam previously, also without tapering dosage.
On Nov. 8, 2013, Aus notified Wellcon through jail staff members of his Clonazepam usage history, also noting that he needed to continue his prescription, according to the complaint. After Wellcon refused to refill his prescription, Aus then requested that Wellcon provide Clonazepam, complaining of anxiety, the document states.
Eight days later a Salt Lake County jail officer alerted medical staff to assess Aus, who was suffering from a possible seizure. Aus' cellmate stated that he saw between four and six of Aus' seizures. Later that night, at 10:05 p.m., Aus was declared dead after being found non-responsive, according to the complaint.
After a trial, a Jjury found a Wellcon employee liable in Aus's death, rewarding a $2 million settlement.
"We hope this verdict reminds correctional care providers of their obligations to provide appropriate care, even for the incarcerated," Madden said.
