A lawsuit has been filed against the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services following the tragic death of Javarick Gantt, a 34-year-old deaf and mute inmate, who was allegedly murdered in his cell.
The suit claims that prison officials were “fully aware” of Gantt’s disability and failed to provide the necessary accommodations that could have prevented his death.
Gantt’s Struggles Before Incarceration
Gantt, who was born permanently deaf, had a history of legal troubles that led to his incarceration. In April 2019, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge. After violating his probation, he faced additional legal issues, including failure to appear at court hearings and report to his probation agent.
These challenges were partly due to Gantt’s difficulties in navigating the Baltimore City court system and using public transportation, which he needed to attend his check-ins.
His problems continued after his arrest in July 2022 when he was held without bond at Central Booking. The lawsuit alleges that Gantt was “improperly screened” and placed in a medium-security prison despite the relatively minor nature of his charges.
The legal filing further claims that the prison failed to consider Gantt’s hearing disability when determining his placement, which led to inadequate accommodations and a lack of safety in his new environment.
Gantt’s Placement with a Dangerous Inmate
On September 30, 2022, Gantt was placed in a shared cell with 35-year-old Gordon Staron, a convicted murderer who had killed a homeless man with a hatchet.
According to the lawsuit, Staron had exhibited “paranoid behavior” and had been prescribed and removed from various mental health medications during his time in custody. Staron’s previous cellmate had expressed fear of him, which led to his reassignment to Gantt’s cell.
Eight days later, on October 8, Gantt was found dead in his cell. Another inmate discovered Gantt’s body and reported hearing loud noises and grunts in the early hours of the morning, but no officers had responded.
This delay in response is central to the wrongful death lawsuit, which alleges that correctional officers failed to conduct required security rounds during the overnight shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. The lawsuit also claims that officers falsified official logs to cover up the lack of proper monitoring.
Allegations of Negligence and Inadequate Care
The lawsuit holds the Maryland Department of Corrections responsible for Gantt’s death, citing multiple factors that contributed to the tragedy. The family’s legal team claims that the Department’s inadequate staffing, poor monitoring of detainees, and failure to create a system that would allow a disabled inmate like Gantt to call for help in an emergency directly led to his murder.
Gantt’s family has expressed their frustration with the lack of transparency surrounding his death. The Maryland Department of Corrections has reportedly refused to cooperate with the ongoing investigation into the circumstances of Gantt’s death, leaving his family without any answers about why he was not protected while in custody.
Family Seeks Justice
The family’s attorney stated that they are filing the lawsuit to get answers about what happened to Gantt and to ensure that no other inmate faces similar neglect or harm. The lawsuit is part of the family’s ongoing effort to hold the Department of Corrections accountable for their failure to safeguard Gantt’s well-being while he was in their custody.