Felix Manus died June 11. His family has sued Erie County and two corrections officers.
Erie County work-release inmate Felix L. Manus died of natural causes due to complications from asthma, Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook has ruled.
The inmate, 48-year-old Felix L. Manus, died June 11 after suffering an asthma attack during a work-release shift in late May, his family’s lawyer has said. The family charges that Erie County corrections officers failed to promptly seek medical care when Manus suffered the asthma attack.
Cook’s ruling came several weeks after Manus’ June 13 autopsy because the results of the autopsy have been pending microscopic studies. Cook said Thursday that he issued the ruling about a week ago.
Manus’ family has sued Erie County and the two corrections officers the lawsuit charges were involved in Manus’ care during the asthma attack: Joshua Pietras, a corrections officer, and Roger Herrmann, a lieutenant.
The family’s lawyer, John Mizner, charged in the lawsuit that the officers delayed calling 911 for emergency medical care when Manus suffered an asthma attack during a May 30 work-release shift near Edinboro. Manus was in the work-release program for failure to pay child support.
Erie County disciplined two officers in connection with the incident, but has declined to name them or describe the discipline they received. A Right-to-Know request filed by the Erie Times-News showed the officers were not fired or demoted.
Erie County also released surveillance video footage from the work-release center following Manus’ death. The videos show Manus returning to the work-release center after his shift and waiting for emergency medical care in a holding cell after he first lowered himself to the floor in a lobby area.
Original Article By: Madeleine O’Neill can be reached at 870-1728 or by email. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNoneill.