DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott is being sued over the heroin overdose death of a Rochelle man in the DeKalb County Jail a year ago.
28-year-old Brandon Washington of Rochelle, was in the DeKalb County Jail in February 2016 after filing a petition over his murder conviction in 2010.
He was found unconscious in his cell in the early morning hours of Feb. 8 and could not be revived. An autopsy found that a heroin overdose caused his death.
Sophia Thomas, the mother of Washington, claims in her suit that jail officials failed to prevent the drugs from being smuggled into the jail, to search the inmates properly, to discover the drugs inside the jail, and to act quickly enough after Washington took the drugs.
Thomas is seeking at least $50,000 monetary damages plus costs. She is represented by Marios Karayannis.
The DeKalb County and the Sheriff's Office also are named in the suit. The State’s Attorney’s office will represent the defendants. Former DeKalb County State’s Attorney Richard Schmack declined to file charges against and jail officials.
An Illinois State Police investigation cleared jail officials of wrongdoing in the incident.