Family of deceased man wins lawsuit settlement against Ohio prison system

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The family of a man who was killed while housed with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction won a settlement with the prison system after accusations of violence and neglect.

According to the law firm Friedman, Gilbert and Gerhardstein (FG+G), the family of Dewey McVay Jr. will receive $225,000 to settle claims against the ODRC of violence and neglect.

The McVay estate filed the lawsuit in April 2022 to investigate his death, which was believed to have been due to treatment from prison guards and medical staff, the law firm said.

FG+G stated that McVay was imprisoned at a state facility in Orient in December 2019. During a prison transfer on Dec. 2, McVay reportedly resisted the transport. The law firm said prison guards improperly entered the cell and assaulted McVay, even after he was handcuffed.

A release from the law firm said that both officers involved and those that witnessed the incident filed false reports and misleading information about the source of McVay’s injuries. It also stated medical staff did not seek accurate information about the injuries and did not follow through on a recommended CT scan to assess a head injury.

Two weeks later, McVay was found unresponsive in his cell. He was pronounced dead on Dec. 20 due to blunt force trauma.