Inmate Frederick Ashley (Full Name: Frederick James Ashley) Died In Custody At United States Penitentiary Florence ADMAX
FLORENCE, COLORADO (October 13, 2023) - An inmate identified as Frederick Ashley has tragically died in custody at United States Penitentiary Florence ADMAX.
Fremont County officials are saying that the incident took place around midnight on Thursday. Correctional officers noticed that Frederick Ashley was unresponsive.
Medical staff began life-saving measures and paramedics were called. Frederick Ashley was taken to the hospital in order to receive treatment.
Despite life-saving measures, he was pronounced dead at the scene. A full investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Florence Inmate Deaths
Far too many people die in state and federal prisons each year. According to Prison Legal News, “A total of 301 federal prisoners died in 2001. In 2015, the deaths hit a maximum of 455.They declined to 378 by 2018. 2,869 state prisoners died in 2001. The number of state prisoner deaths stayed between 3,300 and 3,500 per year between 2008 and 2014, then steadily rose to 4,135, its highest level, in 2018.” There are a number of measures that jails should take in order to reduce the number of in-custody deaths.
- Inmates should get a health screening when they are first admitted.
- Jail staff should be trained to recognize the signs an inmate is in medical distress.
- Jail staff should have easy access to Narcan, which can be used to reverse the effects of an overdose.
- Jails should do everything in their power to prevent overcrowding.
All jails have a legal obligation to provide inmates with reasonably adequate healthcare for their medical needs. Every inmate will need a different level of care depending on their health profile. Some inmates may only need the occasional checkup, while other inmates may need care for chronic health conditions. If a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any in-custody death.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- An independent autopsy may need to be performed.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- The history of inmate deaths at the jail should be understood.
Jails are rarely transparent about in-custody deaths. They are often quick to label these deaths as “natural,” but this can often be quite deceptive. Many inmate deaths labeled as stemming from natural causes actually involve some amount of medical neglect. For example, jail officials may have delayed getting an inmate medical help until it’s too late. The family of any person that died in-custody may have legal recourse through a constitutional claim.
Investigating Inmate Deaths At United States Penitentiary Florence ADMAX
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Frederick Ashley. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent other tragedies like this. Many questions remain unanswered.
Do you need more information about an in-custody death at United States Penitentiary Florence ADMAX? Our team of civil rights advocates are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that inmates are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any in-custody death we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 214-987-4100.