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News :: Crime & Police |
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Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
Current rating: 0 |
by Sandra Ahten
Email: spiritofsandra (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified!) |
11 Feb 2005
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Jail Suicide Updates:
Sheriff Takes Some Responsibility in Layfield death.
Major Conflict of Interest is Revealed
Champaign County Jail had three apparent suicides last year and Champaign County Sheriff Dan Walsh is taking some responsibility for procedural lapses that took place when the last death occurred. The death of Terrell Layfield, which happened in the downtown facility on December 4th, was discussed at a press conference held by the Sheriff on Wednesday Feb. 9th. Sandra Ahten of CU-Citizens for Peace and Justice (CUCPJ) attended the press conference and provided information for this report.
In addition, it is now understood that the decision to pursue criminal prosecution in these deaths is made by Champaign County States Attorney. The States Attorney is also the "defense attorney" for the Sherriff's Department. Is this another conflict of interest?
Listen to MP3s of the news conference via links in the article... |
PROCEDURE NOT FOLLOWED
Champaign County Jail had three apparent suicides last year and Champaign County Sheriff Dan Walsh is taking some responsibility for procedural lapses that took place when the last death occurred. The death of Terrell Layfield, which happened in the downtown facility on December 4th, was discussed at a press conference held by the Sheriff on Wednesday Feb. 9th. Sandra Ahten of CU-Citizens for Peace and Justice (CUCPJ) attended the press conference and provided information for this report.
Sheriff Walsh said that his investigation is not yet complete and so details surrounding the death of victim Terrell Layfield could not be released. He did acknowledge that the written procedure of the jail is to make "eyeball" checks of individuals on a specific timetable. Sheriff Walsh said this was not done at the time of Terrell's death and instead only a visual check of the cell block, as a whole, was made. He said the correct procedure was followed during the other two deaths but those took place at the satellite jail facility that has a system that requires a computer check of the officer. Mr. Layfield's death was at the downtown facility. Sheriff Walsh indicated that no officer has been reprimanded for not following policy in this instance and that the policy had been routinely ignored for many years.
There are many unanswered questions that still remain surrounding the death of Terrell Layfield. If you would like to know the nature of these questions, listen to the entire press conference and how the Sheriff explains some details surrounding Layfield's death and avoids answering others. You can listen to the audio at
http://radio.ucimc.org/audio/sheriffconference.mp3
According to Walsh, the Urbana City Police have finished their investigation and the report should be available. However the Freedom of Information Act that was filed to obtain the reports came back with a denial because The Urbana City Police report the investigation was still pending. (2/11/05)
A MAJOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The Sheriff could not start his investigation until the Champaign County States Attorney had determined that no criminal charges were to be filed. Sandra Ahten, spoke with Julia Reitz, the Champaign States Attorney, on Tuesday Feb. 8th. In response to Ahten's complaints of the delays in the release of information about the alleged suicides, she was told by Reitz that the Sheriff was following her advice, as she is the Sheriff's lawyer. As his lawyer, she directed him not to release any information until the investigation was complete. Ahten clarified with both Walsh and Reitz the fact that the Champaign States Attorney is the attorney of record for the Sheriff's office. http://radio.ucimc.org/audio/q1.mp3
This means that if the Sheriff were to be sued, the States Attorney would be his defense counsel. The conflict of interest is in that the States Attorney is also responsible for deciding if the suicide gets investigated as a criminal matter and whether to file charges. In this case the States Attorney would be both prosecution and defense.
Of course, conflicts of interest can routinely arise in the States Attorney's office. In cases of conflict of interest the States Attorney should turn the cases over to the States Attorney General and the States Attorney General would assign a special prosecutor. CUFPJ is currently educating themselves on these relationships and procedures in order to fully understand why Ms. Reitz has not decided to pursue the matter along these lines. Instead, according Sheriff Walsh, Ms. Reitz made the decision not to pursue any further investigation or prosecution. Sheriff Walsh said that he has absolute confidence in Ms. Reitz and her integrity but it was her decision not to pursue the matter. http://radio.ucimc.org/audio/q2.mp3
There is another conflict of interest that Sheriff Walsh does not acknowledge and so will not be resolved -- and that is the the Urbana City Police are performing the investigation as the impartial outside investigating agency. The Sheriff believes they are impartial although he acknowledges that they have a cooperative working relationship with the County Sheriffs Department. Indeed the arrestees of Urbana Police are housed at the jail and the Urbana Police have access to the prisoners at the jail. http://radio.ucimc.org/audio/q3.mp3
CORONER RULING NOT YET DETERMINED
The coroner's jury is scheduled to hear the evidence in the death of Terrell Layfield on Thursday Feb 17. The death has not yet been ruled a suicide by County Coroner, Duane Northrup. It was scheduled to be heard in January but was postponed.
WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT
The group CU Citizens for Peace and Justice believe that it should not be up to citizens to read police and autopsy reports and interpret them. They believe the county should insist that this matter is cleared up beyond all doubt. That can only be done if there is a criminal investigation into all three in-custody deaths by an outside agency that does not have a cooperative relationship with the County Sheriff's office.
Sandra Ahten of the group says this, We do not want an adversarial relationship with the Sheriff, States Attorney or County Board but the fact is that all three of these agencies are employed by us, the citizens. They may trust each other and feel comfortable with relying on each others known relationship. It is obvious that they do; in my conversations with them, "trust" just keeps coming up again and again. County Board President, Barb Wysocki has told me she trusts the Sheriff. The Sheriff has said he trusts the Urbana City Police and States Attorney, Julia Reitz. Julia Reitz has told me she trusts the Sheriff. I was reprimanded by Reitz for my lack of trust. I fully understand trusting your peers, but these folks must acknowledge that it is the public whose trust they must earn. I don't think they will earn the public's trust until they acknowledge that someone outside of their own network, someone they don't have lunch with, takes a look at these deaths and explains to the public how they could have happened. |
This work is in the public domain. |
Comments
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Re: Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
by Twymenia Layfield
tthurmond (nospam) nwbc.edu (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
16 Feb 2005
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My question is. Do they really know how long my husband was hanging, if they just look down the hall and not in the cell. Also how can you not file criminal charges. I just want to know are they saying that they have some responsibilities in this so the investigation can be over. Or is there more to this story. I just want whoever read this know that because of a person who didnt follow their job, I lose my husband and Daria, Arieauna & Tyre'al lose there father. I dont care what people like the judge or police thought he was because he ment the world to us. |
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Re: Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
by Rochelle Griggs
griggsfamily (nospam) aol.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
18 Feb 2005
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Who's to say that the Sheriff, States Attorney and County Board members can be trusted. I haven't heard from anyone outside of that click that has said that any of you are trustworthy. This is a small town and there is a commonality between comrades. Yes, you will all stick together so that no one points a finger at the other. Because you all are biased there should be been an outside agency called to do the investigation. My son was in his cell from 8:45 a.m. to 11:30 supposedly throwing a fit, which in my opinion is a cry for help and no one thought his life was important enough to check on him in that time frame. Yes, all of you are responsible for his death. And even though no amount of money that can be paid will bring him back to his family, somebody must pay for not doing their job. |
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Re: Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
by '^'
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
21 Feb 2005
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It seems that the best thing currently is for family of Terrell Layfield to file wrongful death law suit against local authorities and to win it. It would also suppose to bring some financial compensation, which they badly in need without any doubt. However, it is, sure, not easy to sue ANY governmental entity, either local or global. Maybe, members of Layfield family have some possibilities to convince Johnny Cockran (O.J. Simpson former lawyer) to take this case. I know that he has won a number of similar in Chicago, even prior to trials, simply got settlements. If there is no possibility to get him or another lawyer with a big name, it is still possible to run this lawsuit. The victory of such lawsuit would without ANY DOUBT change the behavior of local jail's and legal authorities and the conditions of inmates better than ANY petition. Money Talks louder !
And failures of legal system should be punished by legal system, though it is not easy goal to achieve, of course. Good luck to Layfield family and its supporters in this community! |
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Re: Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
by Twymenia Layfield
tthurmond (nospam) nwbc.edu (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
21 Feb 2005
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I just want to say thank you for all the support that we gotten from every one. |
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Re: Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
by anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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Here is the bottom line, you people are talking like these deputies at the jail murdered these inmates. The fact of the matter is, these inmates made a very conscious and real decision to take their OWN life! They committed suicide because they chose not to live anymore. Secondly, we do not know that these officers were not doing their jobs, that is only speculation. Furthermore, it was proven in the first two suicides from what I read that the officers WERE doing their jobs. So to blame the officers and the Sheriff for the third suicide is ridiculous. I realize that a human life was lost, but it was lost at his own hands, he took his own life. We have no right to persecute the officers or hold them responsible for someone else's decision to committ suicide. |
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Re: Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
by '^'
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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You know, anonymous, people sometimes take their lives themselves because the surrounding is pushing them by ALL possible and impossible means to do it. The reasons for such activity of surrounding may be the fact that a lot of legal authorities made mistakes and cruel mistakes in the case of this last late inmate, and if he survived , they were afraid to be hold responsible for what they have done. I never was in Champaign jail, but I perfectly know how the surrounding can with all impossible cruelty to press an individual person to commit suicide because these surrounding’s people had made very bad things to this individual person and don't want to pay for what had been done.
At that point, I think, the family of Layfield should discuss their case with all kinds of lawyers to find out what their chance to get a reasonable compensation is. Yes, Layfield committed suicide, but he was driven to do it, it is pretty obvious. And there are three little girls left fatherless. |
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Re: Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
by ANONYMOUS
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
05 Mar 2005
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Okay, now you're just sounding ridiculous. You are trying to make it out like it was some sort of conspiracy by the Sheriff's Office. Also, on your point of his "surroundings", I understand that all these men are "innocent until proven guilty." But lets face it, for the most part, they're criminals. Jail is not supposed to be a fun and happy place with cheerful surroundings. It is a place for people to go who are a menace to society. Like I said, I understand it is not a perfect world and not EVERYBODY is guilty. But you and I both know that most of them are. And back to your point...even if the surroundings (in a jail mind you) are not "happy", and even if the surroundings "pushed" him into commiting suicide, the point I made is still valid.....HE is the one who commited suicide. His choice. I am quite sure that the officers who were involved did not want to see anyone get hurt, or die in their custody. Lets keep in mind that these are the people who are hired to protect us. |
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Re: Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
by Twymenia Layfield
tthurmond (nospam) nwbc.edu (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
07 Mar 2005
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Let me start off by saying i check this site everyday since my husband pass. I had been off work so I havent been able to check it but to you people who made their comment at the bottom.I love my husband and you are not going to make it out to be as if he did this just to do it. Now the proplem started at the jail. Something was wrong that Rell was not being watch at all. Now you can say what you want. Rell was found not guitly on one of his charges and was giving 66 months for lying about his name. Now that is crazy. Also if they was doing their job they might have seen him doing some thing to hisself. (or is it that they cared) I feel my husband hung for at lest 2 hour. but you can say what you want and how you want to say it ,because it not your love one. after I read this bull it made me so mad. No one is perfect and yes we all do wrong. I just need to know that you live 25-years of your ife and in six months you want to die knowing you have a wife and 3 girls. Yes thet took it his life, but whoever was there wanted him to because after he stop yelling and beating on the door at 10:30 no one check and after the whole cell smell a foul smell on one check at all . but at 11:40 when it was time for lunch that when they found him. I dont say he took he own life they did because they know that there was a problem and they know when there is somthing wrong with a person, but do they care no. if they didnt they wouldnt have offer him help no matter what he said. Also because you go to jail dont mean you are nothing anymore. you are still some one,but how did they make you feel while you are in there. jail is not the answer for everything that jail wanted to make a exmaple out of some one and they did. which leave a 3 years old girl to say my daddy die in jail and when you go to jail they kill you. and yes they was hired to protect us but do they. they let my husband die cause they thought he was living like a bum. |
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Re: Sheriff Answers Questions Surrounding Jail Suicide |
by LaToya Layfield
latoya10us (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
14 May 2005
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I am writing in reguards to my cousin Terrell Layfield untimely death.I want to take a moment to express my feelings. After getting the news late evening on December 4,2004, I heard the words as they came from my mothers mouth but could not grasp what she was saying. All I could think no she did not just say Terrell hung himself in jail. Are we speaking of the same person, this could not be. At that point, flash backs came racing my mind. I lost contact over the years with my first cousin due to us both growing up becoming adults and going our different ways and also family problems. But I still remembered my cousin and loved him very much reguardless. Growing up Terrell was a great big cousin. I spent the weekends at his house faithfully. He taugh me so much growing up even if he was only 3 months older than me. I would always try and boss him around and be mean it never bothered him because that was just the type of spirit he had. I would always want to leave and go back home on Saturday nights because I didn't want to go to Auntie Shay's (his mother) church on Sunday and Terrell would not let me , he made me go to church with him. Just remembering back on the days of his life. My heart breaks knowing his life is over but for what? Terrell had much to live for. Reguardless of his wrong-doings. As stated in previous comments, Terrell was a father, husband, son, big brother and friend, him taking his life just because just doesn't add up. After reading numerous articles on this site I've become very disgusted. It's pretty clear no one really cares or have plans on getting to the real root of what happened to inmate Terrell D. Layfield, detained in Champaign County Jail on the morning of December 4,2004 and why his body was found hung lifeless. WHY ? It's been 5 months now since Terrell's passing and again from following up on articles I still see no progressin my cousins death. I continue to pray for Twymenia (his wife) their three lovely girls that they get some closure in this matter . They get the answers they need and know what really happened to their father and husband. I hope and pray that Champaign County Jail get there act together and finally realize that something needs to be done on there end as well so that this tragedy does not happend to a 4th inmate. |
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