Devils Lake (trfnews.i234.me) — Defendants in a federal lawsuit over a jail death filed an answer in court. They deny all claims of wrongdoing.
The lawsuit was filed by the family of Cassandra McDonald. McDonald was 37. She died after time in custody at the Lake Region Correctional Center in Devils Lake.
Answer filed in federal court
The Lake Region Law Enforcement Center, the City of Devils Lake, and four counties filed the response on Monday. A sheriff and two correctional officers are also named as defendants.
The case is in the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. The defendants deny that McDonald’s rights were violated. They also deny any negligence.
Court records show the answer is 22 pages long. The response lists 14 legal defenses.
What the lawsuit claims
The complaint says staff missed clear signs of a mental health crisis. It says staff failed to give proper care.
The complaint also says McDonald had injuries before her suicide attempt. It claims she had access to methamphetamine in custody.
The defendants admit basic dates in the case. They say McDonald was jailed from Nov. 4 to Nov. 8, 2023. They say she was taken to CHI St. Alexius Health Devils Lake on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8.
The answer says McDonald died on Nov. 10, 2023. It says she died at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo.
Key defenses
The defendants cite immunity under federal and state law. They also raise qualified immunity for the individual defendants.
They argue the jail is not a legal entity that can be sued. The filing says a jail is a building, not a legal person.
The lawsuit claims violations of the Eighth Amendment and the 14th Amendment. The defendants deny those claims.
What happens next
The defendants ask the judge to dismiss the case with prejudice. They also ask for attorney fees and costs.
Both sides have requested a jury trial. TRF News reported on the lawsuit when it was filed.
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I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.