A Missouri mother has filed a wrongful death lawsuit after her son, Brandon Pace, died in prison following a pepper spray incident.
Pace, 37, died on April 7, 2023, at Tipton Correctional Center, located about two hours east of Kansas City. He was serving a four-year sentence when the tragedy occurred.
The lawsuit, filed on September 5, 2024, in the Western District of Missouri, claims that Pace was pepper sprayed while shackled and left untreated for hours, even after repeatedly begging for help.
The suit names the Missouri Department of Corrections and its medical provider, Centurion, and also accuses the department of violating transparency laws under Missouri’s Sunshine Law.
The Missouri Department of Corrections has not commented on the ongoing litigation, with spokeswoman Karen Pojmann stating the department’s policy of remaining silent during such cases.
What Led to the Lawsuit?
According to the lawsuit, the tragic events started when Pace reportedly swallowed methamphetamine. When a corrections officer ordered Pace to be strip-searched, he refused, leading the officer to call the Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT).
One CERT officer arrived with a large canister of pepper spray, described in the lawsuit as a “super-soaker,” used for crowd control due to its powerful delivery.
The lawsuit claims that an officer sprayed Pace at close range while he was restrained and shackled in a small space. Pace immediately began to scream in pain, pleading for help as he gasped for air.
His desperate cries for help — “I can’t breathe” — went on for hours, the lawsuit says. Despite his clear distress, the suit alleges that medical personnel ignored his pleas for nearly four hours.
When Pace eventually went silent, a nurse checked on him, but it was too late — he had died. His death was attributed to methamphetamine intoxication, and the autopsy ruled it accidental.
However, the lawsuit points to a pattern of abuse and neglect within the Missouri Department of Corrections, arguing that excessive use of pepper spray and the failure to provide immediate medical attention contributed to Pace’s death.
A Pattern of Abuse?
The lawsuit also highlights that Pace’s case is not unique. Eight months after Pace’s death, another Missouri prisoner, Othel Moore, died under similar circumstances.
Moore was reportedly beaten, pepper-sprayed, and shocked by prison officers in Jefferson City before dying. He too had repeatedly said he could not breathe, echoing the grim reality faced by Pace.
Following Moore’s death, five officers were indicted in June 2024, and the Pace family hopes that this lawsuit will bring much-needed attention to the harsh treatment of inmates within the Missouri prison system.
Pace’s mother, Tammy Reed, has also alleged that the Department of Corrections has a history of refusing to release information and documents related to inmate deaths. Reed claims she spent months trying to get information about what happened to her son, including video footage of the incident.
Her requests were consistently denied, which forms part of the basis of the Sunshine Law violation claims in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges that the Missouri Department of Corrections has a pattern of allowing its officers to misuse pepper spray as a form of torture, without ensuring medical care afterward.
Seeking Justice
Tom Porto, the Kansas City attorney representing the family, emphasized the need for greater transparency and independent investigations into deaths that happen while inmates are in custody.
He called for an end to what he described as the “cruel pattern of behavior” within the state’s prison system.
“There needs to be transparency and independent, outside law enforcement investigations of such deaths in custody – including Brandon’s death – to curb this cruel pattern of behavior,” Porto said.
In 2023, 134 prisoners died in Missouri’s state prison system. While not all deaths were due to alleged abuse, the pattern of neglect, excessive force, and failure to provide adequate medical care has raised serious concerns about inmate treatment.
For now, Tammy Reed hopes the lawsuit will bring her family some form of justice and prevent other families from experiencing the same heartache.
Read More News:
- How Did Bird Flu in Livestock Infect a Missouri Resident?
- Five Missouri Universities Now Offer Direct Admission with No Application Required
Conclusion
This case shines a light on troubling practices in Missouri’s correctional system. With more than 130 deaths last year and multiple allegations of abuse, the lawsuit aims to bring transparency and accountability to a system in desperate need of reform.
As the lawsuit progresses, it may reveal deeper systemic issues affecting prisoner welfare and treatment.