Coroner's Inquest: Detention Officers Not Criminally Liable in Death of Hill County Inmate

Tools

By The Associated Press

Story Published: Mar 17, 2010 at 10:31 AM MDT

Story Updated: Mar 17, 2010 at 10:31 AM MDT

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - A coroner's jury has ruled that detention officers are not criminally liable in the death of an 18-year-old man who died shortly after being taken from the Hill County jail to a Havre hospital.

A.J. LongSoldier, a former basketball standout at Hays-Lodgepole High School, was in custody Nov. 22 for allegedly violating probation when a detention officer requested medical assistance just before 10:30 p.m.

LongSoldier was taken to the hospital but was released back to the jail, where his condition worsened. He was hospitalized again and died the next day.

Detention officers testified at the coroner's inquest in Havre that LongSoldier appeared to be fine during his first day of custody. But on the second day he said he needed medical assistance and appeared to be hallucinating.

An autopsy determined that LongSoldier's body shut down because of acute alcohol withdrawal.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

News, Sports, Weather for Great Falls, Helena, and all of Montana and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

Great Falls Weather

Icon
Current Temp 86.0 °F
Fair
Wind : from the Southwest at 11.5 gusting to 21.9 MPH (10 gusting to 19 KT)
Pressure : 1013.3 mb
Humidity : 25 %
Click here for our video forecast
More Weather

Helena Weather

Icon
Current Temp 76.0 °F
Fair
Wind : Calm
Pressure : 1017.7 mb
Humidity : 43 %
More Weather

On Demand

Stock Quotes
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Downtown Great Falls

Do you believe Downtown Great Falls is better or worse off than it was 25 years ago?

  • Better
  • Worse
  • Same

AP Video