I’m a law professor at the University of Tulsa and I consult on cases in which people have died from severe neglect or abuse in jails. Through that work, I’ve seen jail officials and private medical companies try to hide the truth to avoid paying millions in damages. A family may be told their loved one died of “pneumonia,” without being told that their death could’ve easily been prevented if jail staff had simply provided adequate medical care. As a result, many preventable jail deaths go unreported and the people responsible go unpunished.

I started the Jail Death Accountability Project to investigate these abuses and bring them to light. If your loved one died in a county or municipal jail – or if you are a jail staff member who witnessed severe neglect – your story deserves to be heard. I read every submission personally, and your identity and information will be kept strictly confidential. Please use the secure form on this site or call the tip line to get in touch.