Raheem Hatter Killed In Cook County Jail Cell
Wrongful Death - June 21, 2022
Death of Inmate Raheem Hatter At Cook County Jail Ruled Homicide Following Autopsy
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (June 21, 2022) – An inmate identified as Raheem Hatter, 24, has tragically died after being attacked in his Cook County Jail cell.
Cook County officials are saying that the incident took place around 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Correctional officers found Raheem Hatter unresponsive in his cell with injuries to his head.
Officers removed the victim’s cellmate and began life-saving measures. Unfortunately, Raheem Hatter was pronounced dead at the scene. Jail officers have since ruled the death a homicide after an autopsy was performed.
Family members were not notified of their loss by jail authorities. Instead, there are reports that they learned about what happened through an Instagram post.
A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Cook County Inmate Deaths
Jails are supposed to be places of rehabilitation. But far too often jails are places where inmates go to be abused, neglected, assaulted and forgotten. According to Mother Jones, “19% of all male inmates in US prisons say they’ve been physically assaulted by other inmates. 21% say they’ve been assaulted by prison staff.” One study by the Department of Justice showed that inmates were 38% more likely to be attacked by other inmates at private prisons than public prisons. There are a number of steps that jails can take in order to prevent inmate assaults.
- Inmates should be adequately monitored.
- Non-violent inmates should generally be segregated from violent offenders.
- Jails should be adequately staffed.
- Correctional officers should be properly trained.
All jails have a legal obligation to provide inmates with a reasonably safe environment. Depending on the specific facts of any case, a jail could be liable for an inmate killed by another inmate. As set forth in U.S. Supreme Court case Farmer v. Brennan, jail officials must not show “deliberate indifference” when inmates face a substantial risk of harm by other inmates. They must take reasonable measures to prevent that harm. When jail officials disregard the risk of substantial harm and an inmate is assaulted or killed, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. There are a number of questions that need to be answered after any inmate death.
- Were jail officials aware that the inmate was in danger?
- Did the assailant who attacked the inmate have a known violent propensity?
- Is there a history of similar attacks at the prison?
The family of any inmate that is killed in custody may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Sadly, though, jail officials will often fight extremely hard to deny any responsibility for an inmate being assaulted and killed. A wrongful death attorney can examine all of the facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Liability In Cook County Inmate Deaths
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Raheem Hatter. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be some accountability for the sake of the victim and his family. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent other tragedies like this.
Do you need more information about an inmate death at the Cook County Jail? Our team of inmate’s rights advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that inmates are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into an incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
