Originally Posted - November 10, 2006

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They're dropping like flies at the Pinellas County Jail.

Two more inmates have died while incarcerated at the facility, on the same day no less, which would seem to raise grave questions about not only about the quality of the medical care rendered and screening procedures at the facility but about the supervision within the jail.

It would also appear to be a basis for an outside independent investigation of jail policy, procedures and staff.


So far this year, at least six inmates have died while in the custody of Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats and the jail.

The sheriff's office was the subject of a performance inspection by a state and national accreditation team in late October to review the agency's compliance with state of the art standards in policy and procedures, administration, operations and support services.

Considering the number of inmate deaths, it appears that perhaps a state investigation should be conducted and a review of the inmate health care division, detention and corrections bureau where euthanasia advocate Michael Schiavo is employed as a clinical supervisor on the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift.

Accreditation? Not with that number of deaths. The state prosecutor's office should take a look at what's going on at the facility. Maybe the guards are spending too much time surfing the Internet and reading articles about the Schiavo case instead of supervising inmates.

The deaths of five of the six inmates occurred on the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift worked by Michael Schiavo.

During the accreditation process, the public has an opportunity to offer input. Although the time for telephonic comments has passed, citizens can still mail their comments about the operations of the jail and Pinellas County Sheriff's office to Commission On Accreditation For Law Enforcement Services (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA 22030-2215 or Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation Inc. (CFA), 3504 Lake Lynda Drive, Suite 380, Orlando, Fl. 32817.

In 2005, there were reportedly 17 attempted suicides and one successful suicide.

In the six deaths this year, no statistics are available if any of the deaths were assisted suicides.

Richard J. Trovanos, 44, of Pinellas Park, had been arrested Tuesday on charges of felony battery assault and tampering with the witness in a domestic violence case.

On Thursday, he apparently hung himself by a makeshift noose.

Trovanos was the second death at the jail on Thursday. Frederick Davidson of Clearwater was found dead in his cell and investigators claimed he died of natural causes.

Trovanos had been booked into the jail at 12:27 a.m. Thursday and because he was uncooperative during the booking process, had been placed in solitary, issued only a jail uniform and mattress and supposedly checked every 15 minutes. About 5:14 p.m., he was found unconscious in his cell by a detention deputy. A sheriff's report says that medical staff responded and he was pronounced dead at 5:45 p.m.

Detectives claim a detention deputy had last checked Trovanos at 5 p.m. and when he returned at 5:14 p.m. the inmate was in a seated position hanging from a makeshift noose fashioned out of a part of his issued uniform. The detention deputy freed the inmate and notified medical staff members who responded immediately.

Policy dictates that an autopsy be performed by the District 6 Medical Examiners Office of Dr. Jon Thogmartin to determine the cause and manner of death.

Davidson, 48, who had been incarcerated since Sept. 12, serving a 180-day sentence for drug possession, complained of dizziness and medical staff was summoned about 11 a.m. Wednesday. He was transported by ambulance to Northside Hospital at about a.m. where he died at 9:59 a.m. Thursday.

On Friday, Oct. 6, Brian P. Cetnarowicz, 51, died at the jail. He had been housed in a medical ward for observation after he was arrested by the St. Petersburg Police Department. A staff member tried to wake the inmate for a court appearance about 9:55 a.m. and found him unresponsive. The jail medical staff began CPR while summoning paramedics. Cetanrowicz was transported by ambulance to Northside Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 10:42 a.m.

Cetnarowicz had been arrested for possessing an open container of alcohol on Thursday, Oct. 5 and was booked into the Pinellas County Jail at about 5:59 p.m. on the same date. During the booking process at the jail, the inmate was medically screened before he was assigned to a medical wing for observation. The inmate was housed in a ward with six other inmates.

In the news release issued by the sheriff's department public information office headed by public information officers Marianne Pasha concerning Cetnarowicz's death, it was claimed that policy required that a detention deputy check on inmates assigned to this area of the jail at a minimum of every 30 minutes.

On July 7, Michael D. Babers, 29, died in the medical ward of the jail where he was being housed for observation after he was arrested the day previous by the St. Petersburg Police Department. He was booked into the jail at 8:35 p.m. July 6 and assigned to the medical wing at 11:25 p.m. after allegedly being medically screened. Staff members were alerted to the unresponsive inmate at 1:02 a.m. on July 7 and began CPR. He too was transported to Northside Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 2:13 a.m.

John D. McLachlan, 46, of St. Petersburg, was serving a one year sentence at the jail on a robbery charge, having spent the night in a holding pod where he passed out shortly after he awoke about 6:30 a.m. He was pronounced dead at 7:47 a.m. He supposedly had been medically screened prior to incarceration.

On May 27, Andre C. Talley, 41, was discovered hanging from an air conditioning vent in his cell at 4:16 p.m. Deputies cut the inmate down, began CPR and called for fire and rescue personnel. He was transported to Northside Hospital and pronounced dead at 5:14 p.m.

Talley had been sentenced to 30 years in prison on May 24 for a 2003 attempted murder charge. He was being held in protective custody in a single cell and was allegedly being checked by guards every 15 minutes.

Address your comments and concerns to Commission On Accreditation For Law Enforcement Services (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA 22030-2215 or Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation Inc. (CFA), 3504 Lake Lynda Drive, Suite 380, Orlando, Fl. 32817. Of course, you could always email Gov. Bush at jeb@myflorida.com and if he doesn't think it's too big of a political issue, he might initiate steps to learn about the seemingly high rate of deaths at the jail. 11-10-06

© 2006 North Country Gazette