Inmate Marvell Reasonover Died After Assault At Cook County Jail

Wrongful Death - May 23, 2023

Marvell Reasonover, 28, Died After Being Beaten To Death While Staying At Maximum Security Wing of Cook County Jail

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (May 23, 2023) – A 28-year-old inmate identified as Marvell Reasonover died after being attacked and found unresponsive at the Cook County Jail.

Cook County officials said that they found the victim around 5:10 p.m. on Thursday. Correctional officers immediately began life-saving measures after they found Marvell Reasonover.

He was taken to the Mount Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Authorities said that his death was caused by multiple injuries from an assault and ruled a homicide.

Marvell Reasonover’s cellmate was secured and escorted out of the cell. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Inmate Deaths At The Cook County Jail

Assaults are one of the leading causes of inmate injury and death in the United States. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “19% of State prison inmates, 10% of Federal inmates, and 16% of those in local jails and on probation had been physically or sexually abused before their most recent admission to a population.” There are a number of steps that prisons can take in order to protect inmates from assaults.

Violent inmates should typically be segregated from non-violent offenders.
Prisons should be well staffed.
Correctional officers should be well trained.

Depending on the facts of any case, a prison could face civil liability if an inmate is attacked or killed by another inmate. In general, jails are liable when an inmate is attacked by another inmate if correctional officers showed deliberate indifference to the inmate who was harmed. Deliberate indifference occurs when correctional officers have specific knowledge of serious harm to a prisoner and knowingly fail to take action to protect them. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any in custody death.

Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
Medical records should be preserved.
Jail records should be sought.
An autopsy may need to be performed.

Jails are supposed to be places of rehabilitation. But far too often jails are more concerned with cutting costs in a way that puts inmates in danger. The family of any person that died in custody may have legal recourse through a civil claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover many of the expenses that can come with the sudden loss of a loved one. Sadly, though, prisons will often do everything in their power to deny liability if someone dies in their care.

Investigating In Custody Deaths At The Cook County Jail

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Marvell Reasonover. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent other incidents like this.

Do you need more information about an in custody death at the Cook County Jail? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of experienced civil rights advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that inmates are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.