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Larimer County jail inmate, 31, dies of unknown cause

CatWhisperer's picture
Thu, 05/05/2011 - 07:45 — CatWhisperer

Quoted from Coloradoan: Larimer County jail inmate, 31, dies of unknown cause
Author: Robert Allen, RobertAllen@coloradoan.com
Quotation:
A 31-year-old male inmate at Larimer County Jail died Wednesday after he was taken to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, according to Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.

The man, whose name is withheld pending next-of-kin notification, died at 12:57 p.m. and had been working in the jail kitchen in the morning when he complained of not feeling well. He was allowed to use the restroom but collapsed and “was discovered nonresponsive near the restroom area,” according to a sheriff’s office news release.

The man was then taken to the hospital. Cause of death is pending an autopsy report.

He is the third inmate at the jail in Fort Collins to die this year while in custody.
Tiffany Ann Nobi, 25, and Charles Edward Betts, 53, were both transients in unrelated cases who died in January. Nobi died after showing signs of illness that was found not to be connected with meningitis. Betts died of cardiac arrest, according to the Larimer County Coroner’s office.

The sheriff’s office has announced a press conference Thursday morning regarding the most recent death.

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Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:54 — CatWhisperer
CatWhisperer's picture

Something not right in Brian Porter's death.

This post will change, BTW, as I recall on almost 9 months at the LCDC trustee pod and reminisce on Mr. Brian Dean Porter.

So the latest news identifies the last death at Larimer County Detention Center. Sad news. I knew him pretty well, as he had been a co-worker and a neighbour who's fish I sometimes took care of and had a beer with. The LCSO had been sniffing around looking for him last I knew of him on a warrant.

He had no medical complications that I knew of, hell he worked as a plumber at Lind's Plumbing & Heating in Fort Collins, where I did. Strong as a horse, if I remember correctly. And wiling to fight if you got physical with him. I find it dammed strange that after all of the hard work at commercial constructions sites, he doesn't croak there on the job, but slips on the floor and breaks his skull.

Here's another problem, “Porter, who was recently allowed to work in the kitchen because of good behavior, had been working to prepare breakfast before leaving for the restroom at about 5:45 a.m. He was found after falling on the floor outside the restroom 23 minutes later, bleeding from the head, Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith said at a Thursday-morning press conference.”

Did it really take 23 minutes for the deputies to realize that he hadn't come back from the bathroom? How far is the bathroom from the kitchen? That depends on if he went back to the North Frank pod. It's a distance to the bathrooms in NF from the kitchen, and you have to be patted down both ways. Not far, if one counts intake, if I recall correctly. If he was found, how can they speculate that he fell on the floor? Do they have a video showing that? Negro please… Did a fight occur away from the deputies in the bathroom area of the pod? I'm not accusing the LCSO of cover-up. But these are pertinent, valid questions, and you have to know the floor plan of the trustee pods at Larimer County Detention Center to be able to propose them.

Something smells not right here, IMHO... Especially since no cause of death has come up for Tiffany Ann Nobi. Brian had his problems, like we all do, and some said he wasn't the smartest, but he was always there with a helping hand, on and off the job site.  He liked his alcohol, that's true, but he was a likeable, easygoing guy, and whatever his problems were, he's was a human being and fellow citizen. IF something isn't right here, he needs justice.

Namasté, Brian Porter! It's a pleasure to have known, partook, and discoursed with you!

—

CatWhisperer
Fort Collins, CO, USA

Thu, 05/05/2011 - 21:27 — CatWhisperer
CatWhisperer's picture

Brian Porter's last 18 minutes with us on camera???

To answer some points, thanks to their digging:


Quoted from Reporter-Herald: Larimer sheriff to review procedures after another inmate dies
Author: Tom Hacker © 2011 Loveland Reporter-Herald
Partial Quotation:

A Larimer County Coroner’s Office spokeswoman late Thursday said while the manner and cause of death were pending, the circumstances did not appear suspicious.

Porter, an unemployed plumber, had been an inmate at the jail since February, and was found to be in good health during a physical exam in early March.

Porter was at work preparing meals in the jail’s kitchen at 5:45 a.m. Wednesday when he told a supervisor he felt ill and wanted to use the bathroom.

The supervisor, a contract employee of the jail, unlocked a bathroom in a hallway near the kitchen for Porter to use.

Captured on Camera

At 6:08 a.m., the supervisor found Porter collapsed in the hallway outside the bathroom, bleeding from a head wound.

Smith said a review of recorded video images from a camera in the hallway — one of 180 in use at the jail — showed Porter emerging from the bathroom about five minutes after being let in, then suddenly collapsing.

“He fell behind some boxes that were in the hallway,” Smith told reporters. “He apparently hit his head on the floor as he fell,” causing the bleeding head wound.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 230-pound man was unresponsive and had no pulse when found. Jail employees tried to resuscitate Porter, using chest compression and other first aid procedures until an ambulance arrived.

He was taken to Poudre Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before 1 p.m.

Porter had been an inmate since Feb. 15, when he was arrested for alleged failure to comply with conditions set after his 2009 convictions for felony menacing and driving under the influence.

Smith met late Wednesday with Porter’s father, who drove from Thermopolis, Wyo., when he learned of his son’s death.

Six inmates have died in custody since the jail opened in 1983, but three of those deaths have occurred in the past four months.

That explains a lot more. But it doesn't explain the time it took to get to Mr. Porter… Looking back, though, the kitchen is hectic as hell, where the kitchen crew of trustees and staff make meals for the entire jail population. It's not easy serving 500+ (because you always make more) meals three times a day, washing everything, putting everything away, taking everything out for the next meal, etc.

Maybe a quicker response could have saved Mr. Porter. We'll never know, but I sure hope changes are implemented that insure this doesn't happen again.

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CatWhisperer
Fort Collins, CO, USA

Thu, 05/05/2011 - 16:43 — murrvalus

Brian Porter

Like CatWhisperer, I knew Brian.  Nice guy, liked his alcohol a little too much maybe.  Unable to find steady work here, he moved home, to Wyoming I think.  Last time I saw him, he was down here trying to straighten out his court situation so he could stay where he had a job.  Gotta wonder about this situation.  It's not that no one ever dies from an undiagnosed problem, it just seems so strange that three deaths in a little over four months have occurred at the county jail.  Two with "unknown" causes and all with the same basic situation/symptoms.  Just a little too eerie for my taste. Safe Journey Brian!  
Thu, 05/05/2011 - 08:32 — CatWhisperer
CatWhisperer's picture

Deaths at LCDC Unusual...

Enough so, that I started doing some research on-line for news articles. There's not been that many, so it's hard to find. One every few years, at most, then bang, 3 in one year. Following this trend, we should have seven deaths by the end of the year. And that would probably be more than what I found for the last two decades. It already matches the number of Larimer County Detention Center deaths in the ten years preceding 2011.

Lets see what I found:

  • May 4, 2011, Wednesday - Unknown male, 31, cause awaiting autopsy.
  • January 9, 2011 - Tiffany Ann Nobi, 25. The Denver Post states on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011 that “… An autopsy was performed Wednesday by the Larimer County coroner's office, but the cause of death was inconclusive, a spokeswoman said. Toxicology and other tests will take several more days. …” The results of the toxicology tests, I couldn't find by Googling.
  • January 6, 2011 - Charles Edward Betts, 53. Arrhythmia, related to high blood pressure, heart disease, and the stressful situation.
  • March 13, 2010 - Roger Wilson, 52, of numerous medical issues.
  • May 18, 2007 - Douglas Russell, 27, by suicide.
  • December 14, 2003 - Bradley J. Briggs, 33, by suicide.

Is there or isn't there a problem? Hard to tell, but concerning nonetheless. Plotted on a graph, LOL, it looks scary. Like if there was a serial killer at LCDC…

 
—

CatWhisperer
Fort Collins, CO, USA

Thu, 05/05/2011 - 16:27 — Gregg Leverett
Gregg Leverett's picture

Deaths at LCDC

CatWhisperer, You ask the right questions. These questions should be asked. If one goes back and listens to the April 12, Administrative Matters before the County Commissioners. I ask why Larry Abrahamson wants to speak out for victims rights? If law enforcement in Larimer County is so concerned about the safety of the citizens, then why was the theft of $35,000 never prosecuted? The Larimer County District Attorneys Office decides that it is best to dismiss, assault charges against the the person that committed this crime. Why, does Larry Abrahamson and Elliot Phelps dismiss the fact that Angela Mead, Susan Kaul (DHS supervisors) and Linda Connors (Larimer County Attorney) were found to have lied in a sexual abuse case of a child, my daughter. Why did Larry Abrahamson and Elliot Phelps determine the use of lies is an acceptable practice in the investigations of the sexual abuse of a child? The problems that you mention about this case, are just the start of the problems and possible abuses of the citizens of Larimer County by those that should be protecting us. I spoke with an officer Jerry Schaiger, then attended a City Council meeting. Shortly after this I received a phone call from officer Greg Yeager, that said if brought the issue that law enforcement in Larimer County is not working to protect my daughter that I would be arrested. Jerry Schaiger was then promoted to be interim police chief. I guess this problem extends to both City Council and Larimer County Board of Commissioners.  

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