OKLAHOMA
A federal indictment alleges that Wayne Barnes, then a lieutenant at the McClain County Jail in Purcell, Oklahoma, denied insulin to an inmate who needed it because he suffered from diabetes.
Barnes is charged with one count of a death-resulting deprivation of rights under color of law. If convicted, he is facing up to life in prison.
According to the indictment, Kory Wilson, 27, suffered from diabetes that he needed insulin to control. He needed insulin to keep Type 1 diabetes in check. Wilson arrived in jail on June 16, 2013 and didn’t have insulin. He wasn’t evaluated or treated by a doctor or given medical care until June 19, 2013, the indictment states.
He had been arrested for carrying a gun without a permit, officials said.
It was three days after Wilson’s arrival, according to the indictment, that Barnes observed Wilson lying on the floor of his cell, unresponsive.
Only then did Barnes direct a corrections officer to call emergency medical services, who arrived to find Wilson’s pupils fixed and dilated.
Wilson died on June 21, 2013, never having regained consciousness.
The indictment further alleges that Barnes knew that Wilson had a serious medical condition and willfully failed to provide him with necessary medical care, and that his failure to do so resulted in K.W.’s death.
The FBI is investigating this case.