Camden County Jail

Camden County, NJ: (May-17-07) The family of 65-year-old Joel Seidel of Cherry Hill, a man who was fatally beaten while being held in the Camden County Jail, filed suit against the Camden County Jail, Camden County Department of Corrections and the county itself, along with corrections officers James Foster, James McIntyre and Dorothy Williams, Warden Eric Taylor and former Warden David Owens. Prison Health Services Inc. and Steininger Behavioral Care Services, both of which had contracts to provide services to inmates, accusing them of his wrongful death. Sharon Clark and Devra Seidel filed the suit in 2004 after their father, 65-year-old Joel Seidel of Cherry Hill was found dead in his cell in the jail's mental health ward on Jan. 27, 2004. One of Seidel's cellmates, Marvin Lister, who was 35 at the time and had a history of violence while in custody, was accused of fatally choking, beating and stomping Seidel, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity last year. The suit stated the death was a result of jail overcrowding, inadequate observation of him while he was in custody, and a failure to move him to a hospital, psychiatric facility or his own cell. In a settlement reached, the family will receive $4 million as compensation. $1 million of the settlement will be paid directly by Camden County, $2.8 million will be paid by the county's insurer and $200,000 will be paid by the jail contractors. [NEWSDAY: WRONGFUL DEATH]

Legal Help

If you have a similar problem and would like to be contacted by a lawyer at no cost or obligation, please click the link below.

Please click here for a free evaluation of your claim

Published on May-17-07