$20M Claim Filed In Death Of Arizona Jail Inmate

A $20 million notice of claim has been filed against Phoenix and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office over a jail inmate’s death last year.

The family of Ernest “Marty” Atencio filed the claim Friday. It’s the precursor to a lawsuit.

The 44-year-old Atencio died on Dec. 20, four days after an altercation with police and detention officers in a Maricopa County Jail.

A county medical examiner’s report released last week said Atencio died of complications from cardiac arrest, but didn’t list the manner of death.

The claim alleges that excessive force was used and is seeking $15 million from county agencies and $5 million from Phoenix police.

Neither the sheriff’s office nor Phoenix police immediately return calls Friday seeing comment on the claim.

Latest Comments

• June 11, 2012 at 5:28 pm

  Mike N says:

  "Excessive force" caused cardiac arrest? This is nothing but a nuisance lawsuit. The $20 mil is dsigned simply to raise awarenes about to suit, in hopes of gaining a larger ... read more
• June 11, 2012 at 2:02 pm

  Matt says:

  You can watch the video here. Sure is a lot of officials around one inmate to not be able to control him..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dr5VFMUMEU
• June 11, 2012 at 1:28 pm

  Jen says:

  Where to even start. You have got to be kidding me. Really $20M?