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The family of an inmate who committed suicide in 2019 while in the Clearfield County Jail has filed a revised lawsuit naming as defendants the Clearfield County commissioners, their prison board and the agency that provides mental health care to the inmates.
Mikayla Duffalo of Brockway stated her father, Michael J. Duffalo, was placed in the Clearfield County Jail on March 4, 2019, after being arrested by state police for a domestic incident in Brockway;. Soon after Duffalo's placement in the Jefferson County Jail, authorities learned of a bench warrant for his arrest in Clearfield, and he was transferred to the Clearfield County Jail.
At the time of his arrest, the lawsuit states, Duffalo was "experiencing an obvious mental breakdown, was under the influence of narcotics -- suffering from withdrawal symptoms -- and was in need of immediate medical care."
The lawsuit charges that Clearfield County Jail officials failed to classify Duffalo, 37, as a suicide risk despite a diagnosis by the prison's mental health screener that he was suffering from Major Depressive Disorder.
She indicated in her report that Duffalo expressed feelings of hopelessness, was experiencing mood swings, was depressed and felt like "he was on an emotional roller coaster," the lawsuit stated.
The report stated Duffalo was shouting at people, lacked interest in prison activities and had a history of mental health treatment. He admitted to being a daily narcotics user.
Mental health services for inmates in Clearfield are provided by Nulton Diagnostic and Treatment Center of Johnstown.
According to the lawsuit, "No one from (the Clearfield Jail) or Nulton took any action to prevent or decrease the risk of (Duffalo) committing suicide despite his known risks."
Early on March 10, Duffalo is alleged to have requested an extra bed sheet from an officer.
While the request was denied, the lawsuit faults the officer for not investigating why Duffalo requested a second bed sheet.
At 6:10 a.m. on March 10, Duffalo was found hanging from a bedsheet tied to the vent in his cell.
Officers administered CPR but could not revive him.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday by attorney Dylan T. Hastings of Philadelphia was an amended version of a lawsuit filed on March 10 in the U.S. District Court in Johnstown.
Unlike the original, the new lawsuit does not include the state police or any officials or employees from Jefferson County.
Federal District Judge Kim R. Gibson has ordered that the defendants answer the amended lawsuit by Aug. 11.
It charges local officials with violating Michael Duffalo's civil rights to be free from cruel and unusual punishment.
The seven-count lawsuit also asks compensation in excess of $100,000 under Pennsylvania's wrongful death and survival statutes.
Clearfield County Commissioner Dave Glass said his board is aware of the lawsuit but indicated he could not comment at this time.
The warden of the prison at the time of Duffalo's death is also named as a defendant.
The president of Nulton Diagnostic, Dr. Larry J. Nulton, said he was not aware of the lawsuit and has received no papers concerning it.
The Duffalo lawsuit is one of two pending in the federal court in Johnstown that involve the suicide death of an inmate in an area prison.
The other resulted from the suicide death of Samantha Rea Beckwith, 23, who died in the Blair County prison on Oct. 24, 2016.