Denied medication, Kentucky inmate starves to death By By Brett Wilkins Apr 21, 2014 in Crime Eddyville - A Kentucky prisoner serving a nine-year sentence for drug offenses was not provided medication that repressed his suicidal thoughts, leading him to refuse food and drink until he died earlier this year. According to an internal investigation, prison medical officials failed to provide Embry with medication that helped control his suicidal thoughts and impulses, nor did they adequately monitor the despondent prisoner as his mental and physical health deteriorated. The prison investigation also found other major problems with the manner in which inmates are treated at the prison, including staff failure to routinely check up on inmates' medical wellbeing and communications failures among prison medical personnel. Embry first refused to take his prescribed anti-anxiety medication in the spring of 2013. Seven months later, after an extended period of erratic behavior in which he expressed anxiety and paranoia and began self-harming by banging his head against his cell door, he began a hunger strike, refusing meals and rapidly losing weight. The internal report states that Embry informed prison psychologist Jean Hinkebein on December 3 that he was feeling anxious and paranoid and wanted to resume taking his anti-anxiety medication. But Hinkebein determined that Embry exhibited no serious mental health problems, even though he repeatedly discussed wanting to harm himself, and denied the inmate's medication request. A week later, Embry was seen banging his head against his cell door. He was moved to an observation cell where he refused his meals and informed Hinkebein that he had lost all hope. He continued to refuse all food, although he did occasionally drink some tea, and kept up his threats to hurt himself. During a January 4 nurse's visit, Embry was described as weak and shaky, and he was advised to resume eating. He refused, growing weaker by the day. Bob Wilkinson, an advanced practice registered nurse at the prison, refused a request from other prison medical personnel to move Embry to the infirmary just before noon on January 13. Wilkinson also recommended removing Embry from hunger strike watch. Hours later, Embry was found unresponsive in his cell. He was pronounced dead at 5:29 pm. At the time of his death, Embry, who stood six feet (1.83 meters) tall, weighed just 138 pounds (63 kg). Lyon County Coroner Ronnie Patton determined Embry's primary cause of death to be dehydration, with starvation and other medical conditions listed as secondary contributors. Internal investigators found that prison medical staff were woefully unprepared for dealing with hunger strikes, using outdated protocols that were unfamiliar to employees and failing to properly communicate with each other about how to approach the situation. The investigation concluded that Hiland has been terminated. Hinkebein and Wilkinson are in the process of being dismissed. Hiland is accusing the state Corrections Department of using Embry's death as an excuse to eliminate his $164,554 salary from its payroll. "I never saw this guy, never met him," Hiland said of the deceased inmate. "I was convinced it was a way to get rid of me. I was told I should have known about it," he told the AP. Embry's death isn't the first in which Hiland has played a role. The doctor reached an settlement for an undisclosed amount with the family of an inmate who The Associated Press reports 57-year-old James Kenneth Embry, who had just three years remaining of a nine-year sentence, was found dead in his cell at Kentucky State Penitentiary on January 13.According to an internal investigation, prison medical officials failed to provide Embry with medication that helped control his suicidal thoughts and impulses, nor did they adequately monitor the despondent prisoner as his mental and physical health deteriorated.The prison investigation also found other major problems with the manner in which inmates are treated at the prison, including staff failure to routinely check up on inmates' medical wellbeing and communications failures among prison medical personnel.Embry first refused to take his prescribed anti-anxiety medication in the spring of 2013. Seven months later, after an extended period of erratic behavior in which he expressed anxiety and paranoia and began self-harming by banging his head against his cell door, he began a hunger strike, refusing meals and rapidly losing weight.The internal report states that Embry informed prison psychologist Jean Hinkebein on December 3 that he was feeling anxious and paranoid and wanted to resume taking his anti-anxiety medication. But Hinkebein determined that Embry exhibited no serious mental health problems, even though he repeatedly discussed wanting to harm himself, and denied the inmate's medication request.A week later, Embry was seen banging his head against his cell door. He was moved to an observation cell where he refused his meals and informed Hinkebein that he had lost all hope. He continued to refuse all food, although he did occasionally drink some tea, and kept up his threats to hurt himself.During a January 4 nurse's visit, Embry was described as weak and shaky, and he was advised to resume eating. He refused, growing weaker by the day. Bob Wilkinson, an advanced practice registered nurse at the prison, refused a request from other prison medical personnel to move Embry to the infirmary just before noon on January 13. Wilkinson also recommended removing Embry from hunger strike watch.Hours later, Embry was found unresponsive in his cell. He was pronounced dead at 5:29 pm. At the time of his death, Embry, who stood six feet (1.83 meters) tall, weighed just 138 pounds (63 kg).Lyon County Coroner Ronnie Patton determined Embry's primary cause of death to be dehydration, with starvation and other medical conditions listed as secondary contributors.Internal investigators found that prison medical staff were woefully unprepared for dealing with hunger strikes, using outdated protocols that were unfamiliar to employees and failing to properly communicate with each other about how to approach the situation.The investigation concluded that Dr. Steve Hiland , the prison's lead physician, and Wilkinson failed to adequately check on prisoners as required during their routine visits. It was also revealed that Hiland has been sued 103 times since 1992 by inmates and their attorneys. Additionally, other nurses at the prison reported being intimidated by Wilkinson, a contract employee for Nashville, Tennessee-based Correct Care Solutions.Hiland has been terminated. Hinkebein and Wilkinson are in the process of being dismissed.Hiland is accusing the state Corrections Department of using Embry's death as an excuse to eliminate his $164,554 salary from its payroll."I never saw this guy, never met him," Hiland said of the deceased inmate. "I was convinced it was a way to get rid of me. I was told I should have known about it," he told the AP.Embry's death isn't the first in which Hiland has played a role. The doctor reached an settlement for an undisclosed amount with the family of an inmate who died under his care after he was refused treatment for an illness because Hiland believe he was faking it. More about kentucky state penitentiary, prison hunger strike, james kenneth embry, jean hinkebein, bob wilkinson More news from kentucky state penit... prison hunger strike james kenneth embry jean hinkebein bob wilkinson steve hiland prison health system