Source: Oregonian, The Author: David R. Anderson of The Oregonian staff Contact: http://www.oregonlive.com/ Pubdate: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 JAIL, ATTORNEY SAY DONS WASN'T SUICIDAL A sheriff's spokesman says the office made extra efforts to treat the inmate accused of killing a police officer Steven Douglas Dons talked about the subject of suicide but never indicated he was contemplating killing himself, a Multnomah County sheriff's spokesman said Thursday. The man accused of killing a police officer and who killed himself Wednesday in his jail medical room was like many inmates, said sheriff's Lt. Brian Martinek. Dons used talk of suicide as a way to toy with jail staff. "He talked about it like 90 percent of the people who come here," Martinek said. "He was playing with that fact." Dons would tell the staff that he could commit suicide if he wanted. "The next minute he would say something like, `But I'm not going to do that because I'm not going to give you guys the satisfaction,'" Martinek said. That is not enough to place an inmate on suicide watch, he said. The sheriff's office explained Dons' comments because of confusion about whether he was suicidal and questions about whether jail staff should have done more to prevent his death. But the jail made extreme efforts to treat Dons, Martinek said. For example, the jail special-ordered an electrical adjustable hospital bed. The staff had the side railings modified and did not put the T-bar over the bed until he was evaluated. "That doesn't indicate to me that this facility wasn't going the extra mile for this person," Martinek said. Dons' attorney, Andrew Bates, said Dons did not seem suicidal. On Wednesday, Bates said he had information about treatment that Dons received that might have a bearing on his death. But the sheriff's office had not heard from Bates on Thursday. "He should have given that to us yesterday morning," Martinek said. Bates, who called for an independent investigation of Dons' death, was unavailable for comment Thursday. Dons' co-counsel, Gwenn Butkovsky, said defense investigators were still compiling the information. "We have concerns about the atmosphere in terms of how people are treated and responded to," she said. Martinek said Dons was taking four types of medication: an antibiotic for an infection related to his catheter; a painkiller; a stool softener; and a muscle relaxant because of his paralysis. He was not taking medication for depression. Officials will not release Dons' medical records because state law requires the patient or the executor of his estate to give permission, said Kathy Page, director of the Corrections Health Division of the Multnomah County Health Department. Page said she could not comment on Dons because of an investigation by the East County Major Crimes Team, but she said the jail has an extensive screening and treatment program for people with mental problems. When prisoners are booked, the jail staff talks to the arresting officer to help determine whether the person has a physical or mental ailment, Page said. During the booking process, each inmate is interviewed by a nurse who asks at least 17 medical questions. They include whether the person is on medication, is suicidal or has ever attempted suicide. Even after the inmate is booked, corrections deputies and medical staff look for signs of depression or suicidal tendencies. "They will always act on the conservative side," Page said. If an inmate is judged to be suicidal, he or she is placed in a separation cell on the intake floor. Because of the constant traffic of corrections deputies, the inmates receive a lot of supervision, Page said. There are two types of suicide watch - constant and every 10 minutes. Inmates on suicide watch are restricted and not allowed items such as eating utensils and normal bedding and clothing. But inmates are allowed to stay on the booking floor for only 72 hours. If they stay longer at the jail, they might be placed in one of 10 mental health cells or one of the 10 medical rooms, Page said.