A wrongful death lawsuit filed Aug. 28 in U.S. District Court claims Jackson County and its health care provider, Wellpath, violated the constitutional rights of a man who died in custody.
The lawsuit, first reported by the Daily Courier, claims Leonard Kirklin, 58, told a Wellpath mental health care worker that he had considered a plan for his suicide while in jail on felony drug charges. Kirklin’s mental health issues, including schizophrenia and suicidal tendencies, were known to staff, according to the lawsuit
Rather than be put on suicide watch, court documents allege Kirklin was housed in a standard cell, where he took his own life.
A Wellpath employee cited the “unhealthy” environment of the suicide watch cells, according to the lawsuit.
Wellpath, a private health care provider for correctional facilities across the country, has faced around 1,500 lawsuits related to its services.
The company paid an $11 million settlement in 2023 after the in-custody death of a Redding man.
In 2024, a federal judge found Wellpath had destroyed emails related to the death of a woman in Josephine County jail. In 2023, likewise, a federal judge found Wellpath to be deceptive in not providing evidence related to the in-custody death of a man in Coos County.
Wellpath did not respond to a request for comment. Jackson County’s counsel said they would not comment on ongoing litigation.
The company, formerly called Correct Care Solutions, filed for bankruptcy last year. Wellpath continues to operate after a financial restructuring, although payment of past settlements has been put into question.
The recent complaint, filed by Corena Williams, Kirklin’s daughter, asks for monetary damages and a jury trial. The lawsuit claims Wellpath violated Kirklin’s Fourteenth Amendment right to adequate medical care during pretrial detention.
