Rollins: Suffolk County Sheriff Never Alerted DA Of Inmate’s Death, Despite Protocols

We recommend this sad but important story about Rodrick Pendleton, whose family is still searching for answers after his 2015 death in the custody of the South Bay Jail. Rollins: Suffolk County Sheriff Never Alerted DA Of Inmate’s Death, Despite Protocols

Mr. Pendleton spend days suffering in the medical unit before he died from a painful bowel obstruction. Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins’ office should have reported this death to the District Attorney’s office to investigate, but that never happened. As the news story describes, when people in jail die from medical causes there is often minimal or no investigation into what health care was provided or denied by the sheriff’s department.

Suffolk County DA Rachael Rollins, who has been bringing meaningful reform to the criminal legal system, expressed her concern: “I would expect a direct call to me… They don't get to self-regulate and make that determination without our involvement.” “The sentence was the time you were told to serve,” she said, “not additionally withholding medical care or harming you above and beyond that.”