Although my brother wasn't put to death by the prison system, I still think that his death is related.

He was arrested and put in the Baltimore City Detention Center on December 15, 2000 for stealing a cash register. When he was brought to Central Booking, they thought he was a mental patient because he was having withdrawal symptoms from his long bout with drug abuse.

He was not properly assessed and the nurse on duty took him off of suicide watch. He called me and said, :Karen, if you don't get me outta here, I'm gonna kill myself." I never in a million years thought that he would have done anything like that. Having lost my father in 1997, Kevin was the only family I had left. He told me again to get him out and I told him I would try. It was one week before Christmas and really didnt have the money, but I was going to try.

On December 18, 2000, I got a call from my nephew stating that my brother had hanged himself that afternoon. I fell to the floor and just started screaming. How could this happen.

These past 3 years, I have suffered and grieved and blamed myself for his death. If I would have bailed him out, he would still be alive. I felt I was responsible for his death. I couldnt live with myself, I got severly depressed, starting drinking and had to be put on anti-depressants.

I don't know what made me do it, but a few night ago, I did a web search for Baltimore City Detention Center suicides and I found the information about my brother.

I miss my brother so very much and pray everyday that he and my father are together.

Kevin, I will not rest until I get to the bottom of this. I will find out if someone's negligence contributed to your death. I want to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else, because this is a pain that will never go away. I think about you and Dad all the time and pray that I will see you both when I die.

I love you and Dad very much and pray that you have found peace.

Love and Peace,

Your sister and daughter,Karen Coffey-Sherman

(((hugs))) Karen.... My thoughts are with you and I hope you find the answers soon....

Deb

My sympathies are also with you. Many years ago I was married to some one I loved deeply. We were arrested together, and he was freed and I was held. The day before Thanksgiving some one came to MCI with my bail, but the clerk did not show. My partner was beaten to death on Thanksgiving day, by four kids, none older than 18 over a $15.00 debt. He lay in the street with his speen ruptured and snow falling for at least eight hours. The patrol car passed but they assumed "he was a drunk" and never even got out of the car, until he'd been there so long they realized he was dead. If this had happened in another part of the city, believe me, an ambulance would have been called. If I had not defaulted previously, so I'd been released, maybe he would not be dead. So I too, ask the unanswerable. My solution is, make a difference in some one elses life. Remember, tomorow is too late. We have only now

((((karen))))) I hope you find the answers you so much need. You are in my thoughts and prayers and your new PTO family will help you through the holdays.


(((((((darkbluegirl)))) My thoughts and prayers are with you as well. We are there for you.