Psychiatrist loses appeal in lawsuit over inmate's death

February 26, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — A federal appeals court says a psychiatrist who prescribed medication can be sued in the death of a 23-year-old Michigan prison inmate.

Scott Quigley Jr. had no life-threatening ailments, but he died suddenly in 2008. Experts hired by his family blame Quigley's death on a dangerous mix of two antidepressant drugs. The autopsy report lists the cause as an epileptic seizure.

Public officials are immune from civil lawsuits in many cases. But in Quigley's case, an appeals court agreed with a Detroit federal judge, who said Dr. Tuong Thai isn't immune because his treatment may have caused the inmate's death. Quigley was at a prison in Jackson County at the time.

The decision last week means the case will go to trial or be settled.

Source: Doc loses appeal in lawsuit over inmate's death, CadillacNews.com, February 26, 2013.