Prisoner Dies in Heatwave: Family Files Lawsuit Over Alleged Neglect
Michael Broadway, a prisoner at Illinois' Stateville Correctional Center, died on June 19, 2024, after suffering an asthma attack during a heatwave. His family has since filed a lawsuit alleging constitutional rights violations due to cruel and unusual punishment. Broadway was serving a 75-year sentence for first-degree murder and was pursuing a bachelor's degree in sociology at the time of his death.
Broadway's friends requested medical assistance when he reported breathing difficulties. It took between 15 to 20 minutes for a nurse to arrive, but she initially refused to go to his cell block due to the extreme heat. Prison staff failed to provide immediate medical care, and it took over an hour for Broadway to be taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The lawsuit alleges that prison staff did not protect medically vulnerable prisoners from the heat in the almost 100-year-old facility with limited air conditioning. Broadway's death was attributed to the heatwave, which either caused or aggravated his asthma attack. The lawsuit requests varied compensatory damages for his wrongful death.
Broadway had completed about 18 years of his sentence and was working towards a better future through education. The lawsuit names unidentified employees from the Illinois Department of Corrections and Stateville Correctional Center. The case highlights concerns about the treatment of prisoners with medical vulnerabilities in extreme heat conditions.
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