YORK, Pa. — April 9 marks two years since 41-year-old Everett Palmer Jr. died while in custody at York County Prison.
On April 1, Palmer's mother filed a lawsuit alleging that York County Prison corrections officers drugged her son and that numerous elected officials, government employees and medical workers conspired to cover up his demise.
The lawsuit was filed against 36 individuals; including York County, 10 unidentified corrections officers and five unknown medical workers.
The lawsuit alleges that York County corrections officers drugged Palmer with methamphetamine and amphetamine and they were indifferent to the obvious mental and physical ailments that resulted from the drug use as well as Palmer's need for medical attention.
According to the lawsuit, corrections officers entered his cell and beat, stunned, choked and restrained him. The suit alleges they failed to obtain emergency medical care in a necessary and timely manner.
The lawsuit also alleges that numerous people conspired following Palmer’s death to cover it up and prevent or delay the release of information until after the statute of limitations had expired.
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When asked to respond to the lawsuit, the York County District Attorney's office provided this statement, "We are ethically unable to comment at this time, as the investigation into Everett Palmer’s death remains active."
The county does not comment on pending litigation, according to Mark Walters, York County spokesman.
Timeline of events leading up to Everett Palmer's death:
Palmer, of Seaford, Delaware, drove to York on April 7, 2018 in order to turn himself in on an outstanding DUI charge that he had become recently aware of and wanted to resolve it before visiting family in New York, according to the lawsuit.
Palmer could not post bail and was taken to York County Prison. Palmer was housed in a single cell and placed on suicide watch at the Prison. Two days later, during the early morning hours on April 9, Palmer became agitated and began hitting his head against the inside of his cell door, according to the York County Coroner autopsy report. He did not comply with a command to lie down and put his hands behind his back, according to the autopsy report. Officers used force and eventually placed him into a restraint chair with a spit hood. Palmer was taken to the medical unit shortly before 4:30 a.m. where CPR was performed and an AED was administered. He was taken to York Hospital at 5:06 a.m. and pronounced dead at 5:46 a.m.