FORT SMITH- The Office of Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Shue announced today that they have completed their review surrounding the death of an inmate at the Sebastian County Detention Center in March 2019.
Douglas Jay Gunter, an inmate incarcerated since October of 2018 on an Aggravated Assault charge, was discovered lying on floor of his cell appearing to have sustained an injury from a fall due to a gash on his head. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he subsequently died on March 10th, 2019.
Gunter had recently been released from suicide watch and had been placed in hospital cell within the detention center, according to the Prosecuting Attorney’s report to the Arkansas State Police.
“It is the opinion of this office that no criminal charges can be filed against any person with regard to this death at this time,” stated Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Shue in the report.
Following an autopsy by Dr. Stephen A. Erickson M.D. at the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory on March 12th, 2019, the Cause of Death for Gunter was determined to be “Necrotizing Lobar Pneumonia Complicating Right Sixth Rib Fracture”; however the Manner of Death was ruled as “undetermined”.
“Necrotizing pneumonia is a rare and severe complication of bacterial pneumonia and, partially due to its rarity, there are no firm guidelines outlining recommended care,” stated Shue. “Dr. Erickson noted that ‘[b]ecause it is unclear how the rib fracture occurred, the manner of death will be placed into the undetermined category.'”
Dr. Erickson also reported in his autopsy that there was “no cranial-cerebral trauma”.
“The investigation by the Arkansas State Police did not reveal how Gunter fractured his rib; in fact, there is no indication when this may have occurred (it may have happened sometime prior to his incarceration in October of 2018″, stated Shue. Considering the totality of the circumstances and the applicable law, no charges can be brought at this time.”
