A Tennessee woman nearly died in jail because correctional officers ignored six pleas for medical attention over a month-long span, according to a $1 million lawsuit filed in Marion County Circuit Court earlier this week.
Luwin Lewis started experiencing severe stomach pain and rectal bleeding shortly after she reported to the Marion County Jail on Dec. 9, 2015, the lawsuit says. She was supposed to spend 60 days there for a driving under the influence conviction.
Lewis, who is from Franklin County, Tenn., tried to get help, filling out five or six medical treatment forms Marion County provides inmates, the lawsuit says. She delivered them to her correctional officers, “John Doe” and “Jason.”
But when help never came and the pain got worse, Lewis asked the correctional officers directly for medical attention, the lawsuit says. Their response: “The only way Lewis could ask for medical treatment was by the forms.”
And those were no longer available, the lawsuit says.