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December 16, 2004Family sues, says inmate was over-medicatedMan was jailed for home invasionByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - A suit filed by the family of an Elk Rapids man who died after collapsing at the Grand Traverse County jail alleges jail and medical personnel failed to realize he was being over-medicated. The suit, filed by the estate of Christopher Morden in the 13th Judicial Circuit Court, alleges Grand Traverse County, Sheriff Scott Fewins, the jail and medical personnel did not take proper precautions in regulating Morden's medication. Morden, 20, was jailed in February 2002 on felony charges of home invasion and receiving and concealing a stolen firearm. The suit states that three months before he was arrested, Morden was prescribed Celexa, an anti-depressant, and Risperdal, an anti-psychotic medication for schizophrenia treatment. The suit alleges Dr. Marilyn Conlon and David Wilcox, a doctor of osteopathy, increased Morden's medications after he was jailed. Morden's condition worsened, and the suit alleges another psychotropic medication, Seroquel, was prescribed, creating a combination with "serious, even fatal" side effects. Morden's family filed suit against the county in June 2002 for not releasing investigation reports on his death under the state's Freedom of Information Act, information that was eventually released. "This has been an ongoing issue, and we were expecting this lawsuit," said Grand Traverse County Undersheriff Nathan Alger. "We don't believe we did anything wrong in that case and it has been turned over to our attorneys." The new suit alleges Wilcox realized Morden was being over-medicated on March 26, but that no changes were made. The lawsuit seeks punitive damages over $25,000 and alleges Morden's medical records were altered or deleted.
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