Attorney for Family of Woman Who Died in Multnomah County Jail Says Timeline Leaves Unanswered Questions About Detox Treatment

A lawyer for the family of a woman who died last August while in Multnomah County Detention Center says he's not satisfied with the official narrative and is conducting an independent investigation.

Earlier today, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office released a statement clearing the jail of any wrongdoing.

"Over the course of several months, MCSO, in collaboration with the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office, thoroughly investigated all circumstances leading up to and following the incident," the sheriff's office statement read.

"Investigators ultimately determined there were no signs of foul play and no illegal use of drugs while in jail. The investigation also concluded that all standard protocols were followed."

The Oregonian reported this morning that the investigation was complete and that the medical examiner ruled that Dee Glassmann's death was caused by methamphetamine taken before she entered the jail.

But lawyer John Devlin in a press release raised questions about the thoroughness of that investigation and suggested there's a need to change jail protocols.

Devlin's statement does not say whether the family intends to take legal action.

Glassman had contact with a jail nurse, including just over two hours before she was found "unresponsive" in her cell on the morning of August 13 came at 5:20 am.

"The nurse documented that Ms. Glassmann told her that she was 'still puking,' that this was 'not normal,' and that she doesn't 'detox like this,'" Devlin says in his release.

"The nurse's "assessment was that Ms. Glassmann was at 'risk for seizures' and at 'risk for dehydration,'" Devlin wrote in his release. "The nurse also documented in her note that 'detox is uncomfortable' and that 'n/v [nausea/vomiting] is normal unfortunately.'"

She was found unresponsive at 7:47 am, according to Devlin.

Devlin also says that the nurses and the jail deputy on duty during the hours before Glassmann's death weren't interviewed in the investigation.

"The investigation did not explain why Ms. Glassmann did not receive any additional medical treatment during the 34 hours that she was in the Multnomah County Detention Center," says Devlin in press release. "The investigation did not identify any steps that the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office will take to prevent the death of another person in its custody."

The sheriff's office didn't respond to comment immediately on the lawyer's questions.