Date: 12-15-2000

Case Style: Kenneth Michael Trentadue, The Estate of by and through its Personal Representative Carmen Aguilar v. United States

Case Number: 97-cv-849

Judge: Tim Leonard

Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma

Plaintiff's Attorney: R. Scott Adams of Adams & Associates, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Charles P. Sampson, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Joe B. Reynolds of Joe Brett Reynolds, P.C., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Defendant's Attorney: Steven B. Synder, Stephen E. Handler and Peters E. Schlossman, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

Description: Civil Rights Act - 42 U.S.C. 1983 - On August 21, 1995, Kenneth Michael Trentadue was found hanging in his cell at the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City. Trentadue's family claimed that he was murdered and that the hanging was staged to cover-up the murder because photographs of his body showed that it was covered with blood and the Medical Examiner could not determine the cause of death.

Outcome: Plaintiffs' verdict for $20,000 with a finding that former prison office Lt. Stuart A. Lee was "delibertely indifferent to the Trentadue's "serious medical needs."

Plaintiff's Experts: Unknown

Defendant's Experts: Unknown

Comments: None