From [HERE] Another wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio (in photo). This time, detention officers are accused of deliberately looking the other way, instead of helping a Latino inmate with a serious medical condition.
Felix Torres, 47, died in October 2013, after being found unconscious in his jail cell. Torres had been arrested on outstanding warrants for driving on a suspended license and failing to appear in court.
He was being held at Maricopa County's Towers Jail in Phoenix.
Torres' mother hired an attorney, who just filed a wrongful death lawsuit, accusing detention officers and other jail personnel of ignoring Torres' cries for help.
According to the lawsuit, "Felix continued in vain to try to obtain medical assistance," while detention officers and the medical staff, "were deliberately indifferent to Felix's need for care."
Brandon Aubrecht told CBS 5 News that he was in the jail cell, just a few feet away from Torres, in the days leading up to Torres' death.
"I heard the DO cursing at him," said Aubrecht. "Quit f*** faking. Quit faking it - quit complaining. Inmates actually had to drag him to medical. They were saying that medical was actually laughing at him, and basically telling him he's faking it ."
Attorney Michael Manning said that county personnel were aware of the fact that Torres had a history of medical issues that included ulcers and a possible hernia.
On the day of his death, Torres was reportedly experiencing nausea and extreme pain.
He collapsed in his cell and died a short time later.
"Basic care is all he needed," said Manning. "If they had just followed the hospital's orders and got him back to the E.R. if he has any other symptoms, he'd be alive today."
"It just goes so far beyond negligence," said Manning. "It's the kind of stuff that our community should be utterly outraged about."
However, MCSO Chief Deputy Jack Macintyre told CBS 5 News that Torres' death is nothing more than an unfortunate accident, and detention officers cannot be expected to make medical decisions.
"I don't think the detention staff have done anything wrong in this case," said Macintyre. "I think they've done exactly what they should do within the confines of the responsibilities for monitoring the care and custody of inmates."
It could take at least a year before this case is settled or goes to trial, Manning said.
Since 1999, Maricopa County has spent more than $33 million in settlements or verdicts, stemming from wrongful death cases involving jail inmates.