The Trinity County Jail has only been in operation for less than two years, and there have been three inmate deaths during that time. Now the parents of one of the dead men are suing Trinity County. The Sheriff’s Department has denied responsibility for the January death of Joshua Garbutt, but the suit claims that he was there for three days pleading with the Correctional Officers to provide him medical attention before he was found dead in his cell. The cause of death for the 32-year-old Weaverville man was apparently heart failure related to Fentanyl withdrawal, but the only thing he was given was a bucket to vomit into as he screamed in pain while experiencing seizures in a solitary confinement cell. He was jailed on charges of petty theft and misdemeanor warrants. The case seeking $20 Million against Trinity County, the Jail, the Sheriff, Correctional Deputies and the medical provider was filed last week in federal court by Garbutt’s parents, Stacy Pohlmeyer and Brian Garbutt of Redding.
-Steve Gibson