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GoogleLarry Dale Byford, 54, of Shelbyville was rushed to Heritage Medical Center after collapsing Monday morning, then taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center, Lt. Tim Lokey, who supervises the workhouse, said.
"We had him on medical watch," Lokey said. "We had him on a (video) monitor, we could see him from the tower and watched him at all times. He was sitting there and fell out of his chair onto the floor. We did CPR and called an ambulance."
Byford had not had previous major medical incidents at the workhouse, Lokey said. "He had thrown up and been sick but hadn't collapsed or anything like that."
A nurse and Dr. Howard Rupard regularly check patients, Sheriff Randall Boyce said.
"(Byford) was in a medical unit at the workhouse -- a sick bay," Boyce said. "He was real sick."
"He had some issues with his kidneys and cirrhosis of the liver," Lokey said. Byford was put on dialysis at VMC Monday, according to Boyce.
No autopsy was performed, Boyce said.
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i hope the family checks into it
I wonder why no autopsy, that is something I would think the family would want done.
My symphay to the family.
Does HIPPA not apply here?
It may have alot to do with the fact that bcj has a vet-tech to dispense meds as well as care for inmates!
Probably not - Lokey isn't the employer or medical provider.
If he was"real sick" and "Throwing up" and on medical watch he should already have been in the hospital.
Folks, this man was had scerosis of the liver as well as other medical issues. It is sad that his last days were spent in jail. But, nonetheless, the jail did all they could do. People get sick in jail all the time...throwing up, stuff like that...you isolate them and treat as best you can. Dr. Rupard is an excellent physician who would have ordered the man to a hospital at the first sign of a major problem. Throwing up does not constitute a trip to the ER for folks not in jail...why would it be the rule for someone in jail?? We can't expect the tax payers to pay for every Tom, Dick, and Harry who get a tummy ache while in jail to go to the ER. I'm sure the matter will be looked into, but if there were no signs of a major problem, there would not have necessarily been a reason to send the man to the hospital. P.S. The man had numerous medical issues which were documented. Given that fact, an autopsy is not required unless the hospital physician feels one is needed.
Par for the Course and Oneamerican - Actually HIPPA does not apply at all, regardless of who the spokesperson is. The courts have repeatedly held that the dead have no reasonable expectation of privacy.
Please remember one thing.OUR TAX DOLLARS are spent for medical care and drugs.The county will even have to pay his Vanderbilt bill.While we all want to rush and say its someones fault,if they sue and win guess what,taxpayers foot that bill also.I think if your in jail you have lost your right to medical or medicine unless you paid for it yourself.It may sound harsh,but inmates have better medical care than working people.Now quit pointing fingers before it hurts someone.
The problem I have with this isn't the fact the man was in jail nor that he was sick. It is the fact he was in the medical "unit" at BCJ and the t-g prints in a public forum that the man suffered from cirrhosis of the liver and kidney issues. Yes BCJ needs to know these problems of this man while he is in jail but according to privacy act medical conditions are suppose to be kept confidential and somehow I just don't see posting about this man's illnesses as confidential. I don't know this man from Adam but was it really necessary to print his illnesses in the newspaper?
believe me folks i know firsthand about the medical treatment these people get , and it sure isn't professional.when this joke of a sheriff says that these inmates are checked regularly he's just trying to cover his own backside. and yes i know these people are locked up for a reason but they are still people , and medical treatment for them is a federal law. and i guarantee you these folks are not getting it. all mr. boyce is worried about are horses and spending tax money on nice shiny new cars that were not needed. if he has any idea whats going on in his "jails" why are there employees without high school educations or g.e.d.'s (another law that bedford county doesn't have to follow). if i were a member of this man's family there would be an autopsy performed and an out of town attorney would be contacted. and before you even say it , no i am not a former inmate. and a word to the wise to other families with loved ones in jail , if they tell you they are sick and are not getting medical treatment you had better believe them and do all you can to get a real medical doctor to check them out , even if you have to pay for it yourselves.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ youkk much about what was done were you there NO. you were not let me clue you in on something o.k. I've been there on just a minor offense which in most cases all are minor offenses for alot of these people and they deserve to be treated that way but are not you are nothing but low life trash in their eyes
The Privacy Act or HIPPA if you prefer does not apply to any jail, regardless of an inmate's medical status or condition. What goes on at the jail or workhouse is a matter of public record and can be seen by anyone requesting permission to do so. The open reporting by jail officials helps to squelch the rumor mills that often follow such tragic events. One can only hope that local jail/workhouse officials will continue to be forthcoming with the details of such newsworthy events in the future.
There goes jtjustice30 again folks.A state employee sticking up for the county again. yes the man had health problems, and was in the medical unit, but him being sick like that and throwing up should have immediatly been a alarm that something major was wrong and he should have benn taken to the emergency room.Its true not every person with a stomach ache, or throwing up, cough , or sore throat should be taken to the ER, but this man had several medical problems.
Just because the man was in jail does not mean he loses his basic rights.
What was so newsworthy about telling the world about this man's illnesses?
Supposedly he died of an apparent heart attack shouldn't that have been enough info on his medical?
Honestly, if the jail felt the need to have this man on video where somebody "watched him at all times" then he was sick enough to be in a hospital. No, "throwing up" isn't reason enough to be in the hospital but it is a symptom of a heart attack. Did anybody bother to ask him if he was having any other issues? I doubt it. Yes, Dr. Rupard is a good doctor, but does anybody have any idea how many patients he sees on a weekly basis? He not only sees patients in his office, but he also has patients at every nursing home in this city, Head MD at the hospital, is over the EMS service and over the jails too. I don't see how any doctor can keep up with that many patients. In my oppinion this is exactly why our jails need a medical professional on staff at all hours. Not just during "normal business hours". Maybe a nurse or a CNA could have realized that there was something wrong before this man was "sitting there and fell out of his chair onto the floor". If someone is "real sick" they need medical attention. Not some flunky who has no idea about any health issues deciding that they are ok.
Back to you Justice I think you might be military ..LET me tell you most of these guys in the workhouse are verry young guys made some mistakes HELL YES. But they are human beings as well as the OLDER members . BUT no matter what everyone is treated the same which is not good for a person who has problems things get overlooked or not seen at all doesn't matter your there as a number and that is it you got a release date and that is all they are worried about INCLUDING THE SO CALLED DOCTER WHAT A LAUGH THAT MAN LOOKED AT MY LEG AND WOULD HAVE LET IT ROT OFF HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR VAND.
I have sympathy and empathy for the Workhouse staff. They probably performed their duties in a professional way and at the level of their training. They certainly are not qualified to say who should be in the hospital or for that matter who should be under observation for medical purposes. They obeyed their orders as given.
The man died while in jail. He wasn't the first and certainly won't be the last. He was there because he disobeyed the laws of our State. I do not respect him less than any other person on the street, but, he in fact, deserves my contempt for the actions that resulted in his confinement.
Now if any of you think you can do a better job than the staff at the workhouse (including medical) then please apply to the sheriff for a job. He is always looking for good officers to fill the billets he has to assist him in his duties.
To the inmates family, I hate your loss, but, know there is nothing I can do to help your pain.
Well said...
greeneyedmomof3, who said I worked for the state?? I don't recall stating such...nonetheless, I still don't see your logic in taking someone who appeared mildly ill to the emergency room. Yes, he had several health issues, none of which would have appeared related to the symptoms he was experiencing.
Dipperdan...well said!
Blugil, I admit that I am a bit jaded, but unfortunately I am not military. I wish I had been so brave, but I'm not. You're right, lots of the folks that work for the jail/workhouse are very young and some are rather inexperienced. But, frankly, haven't we all been that way at one point in our lives. Also, I wouldn't blame those officers for being a bit jaded either. It must be very frustrating to see the same people over and over again for the same crimes (or sometimes worse). I'm sure it is very hard to see those people as people instead of just another pain in their neck. But, I would suggest that anyone who feels they can do that job better contact the Sheriff and offer their services. I know that I could not do that job, so I am very hesistant to pass negative judgment on those folks. Having known many people in law enforcement, I have a great deal of respect for them. They do a job that I am not equipped to do myself, so I feel a bit indebted to them. Call me crazy, but that's how I was raised.
DR.'S MAKE MIS DIAGNOSIS SOMETIMES. NOT EVERYONE THINKS HE,S SO GREAT.
What I must do is all that concerns me. This rule, equally arduous in actual and intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is harder because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.I believe the workhouse staff, the paramedics, and the deputies did all they could do. please keep the family and the ones who put there life on the line in your prayers and be respectful.. dont turn this story like every other into a whipping post...
While I did not know this gentleman, or his history, a search of the T-G site reveals only an arrest a few months ago for a check violation. That hardly reads to me like someone who uses the revolving door of the judicial system over and over again.
As far as I know, if there is a violation of the check law, and the check/s can be picked up and the fees covered, there is no time sentence. It would appear to me, based only on what I have read, that this gentleman died in custody for the crime of poverty, likely stemming from the underlying condition that was apparently not treated at the workhouse and led to his death, whether preventable or not. I do not know which is more sad, the death, or the reaction by some of you other posters who act as apologists for the system.
I do not know which is more sad, the death, or the reaction by some of you other posters who act as apologists for the system.
-- Posted by memyselfi on Fri, Oct 23, 2009, at 1:46 PM
memyselfi,
It is easier to understand once you realize some of these posters actually work for the system.
It is indeed sad they defend wrong.
Even worse is the fact they probably do not have the common sense to even realize it. In essence they are defending their check that they rely on to support themselves.
as a taxpayer and former law enforcement officer im curious to know what this man was charged with and were his charges so serious to risk the civil liabilities usually involved in incarcerating someone with these serious medical problems, also as a taxpayer id much rather pay for a trip to the ER than, damages awarded for a lawsuit for negligence
Once again people are trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. If you have never been inside the jail or workhouse you don't have a clue how things work. I know the crew at the workhouse and I know they would never intentionally let anyone die! Don't be so naive(or stupid) as to think any of them would have let this happen.
This man had some health issues and should have never been sentenced to jail time. Thats not their fault. By the way his charge was driving on revoked(you didn't look hard enough).
I also know for a fact that Capt.Lokey and two of his officers were asked to be pallbearers for Mr.Byford and did this out of respect for him.
Sometimes people go off the deep end wanting to sue this or that before checking (as Paul Harvey would say) the rest of the story.
Once again people are trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
-- Posted by chuck1964 on Fri, Oct 23, 2009, at 9:49 PM
Hard to believe you would look at any human loss as a molehill.
Would the loss of your brother, father mother, sister, etc. be regarded as a molehill?
Thats not what I was saying at all. I was trying to get my point across that this was not any fault of the workhouse employees. First off they didn't get him the charges and they sure didn't ask for the judge to sentence a sick man to 45 days! That deal was worked out between the D.A., the Judge and the mans lawyer.
The workhouse employees had to deal with the situation that was given to them. Just as you would in your job and yet they catch all the flack.
I commend the workhouse for all they did for the man and so did his sister. She knew how sick he was and she knew how well they were taking care of him. It seems people always look for the negative.
Once again nobody that works there would have intentionally let this man suffer in any way.
jtjustice30, everybody knows
chuck1964, No, I did not conduct a background check. At this juncture, it is a moot point anyway. My only objective was to get a vague idea who this gentleman was.
I appreciate your unflinching dedication to the staff of the workhouse, but what you apparently fail to realize is that in defending the staff you speak so highly of, you necessarily also defend the entire system that creates the conditions these people work within every day.
I have never doubted that there are some good employees there, nor have I insinuated that he was allowed to die either from lack of caring, or for the sport of the employees. What I am suggesting is that there is a problem.
The fact remains that the ball was apparently dropped. Somewhere between the sentencing and the medical evaluation, there were mistakes made. There were likely several. It seems to me that it would be much more productive to focus on what went wrong, and why, rather than to either sweep it all under the rug or to conduct a witch-hunt among the employees most directly involved assigning blame. You see, if the employees were "just doing their jobs" it could be that it is the very scope of their assignments that should be looked at.
This gentleman is not returning regardless, but if the events surrounding his death are seriously considered, maybe the next person in his situation (or a similar one) may not be so unfortunate. Please do not be so eager to protect the employees that you overlook any legitimate issues contributing to the series of events. That does not benefit anyone, not even the employees. Sure, hindsight is 20/20, but the future can be anticipated, when the past is given proper attention.
jtjustice30, everybody knows
-- Posted by greeneyedmomof3 on Sat, Oct 24, 2009, at 8:06 PM
Yes indeed, and I would guess that most everyone will before long.
I will stop defending when you stop accusing.
Enough Said!
Exactly who do you imagine I have accused, and more importantly, who are you defending?
I dont know thw man ,but IM sure he didnt get the treatment he so needed , even thoe they thought he was sick enough to be seperated from the others , it sounded more like he was being watched to know when he died more or less, because im hear to tell you bedford co. sheriff and the city police dont do justice where it is needed and do hide a whole lot (cover up) for many. and i do mean many!!!! There is a lot ging on with the city that a most citizens are not even aware of.
THE GOOD DR. WAS REALLY BUSY BACK IN 2000 WHEN HE WAS MY DAUGHTERS DR. SHE HAD ALL THE CONFIDENCE IN THE WORLD IN HIM.AFTER 4 MOS. OF BACK AND FORTH TO HIS OFFICE FINALLY THE RIGHT TEST WAS DONE , BUT SHE DIED A MONTH LATER ,SHE WAS JUST 24 YEARS OLD , LEFT 3 SMALL CHILDREN BEHIND AND A LOVING FAMILY AND SOME GOOD FRI ENDS WONDERING HOW IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST.