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Justice for Hardel Sherrell: Six Years Later, Still Waiting

Justice for Hardel Sherrell: Six Years Later, Still Waiting

by | Aug 29, 2024 | Advocacy, Inmate Rights, Justice System, Parental Grief, Prison Reform

Justice for Hardel Sherrell: Six Years Later, Still Waiting

A mother’s relentless fight for justice after the tragic loss of her only son, Hardel Sherrell, who died in custody at Beltrami County Jail. Six years have passed, but the fight for accountability and change continues.

On September 2nd, we remember the tragic loss of Hardel Sherrell, a beloved son and father to three beautiful girls who now have to grow up without their father. Hardel was taken from us far too soon while in custody at the Beltrami County Jail in Bemidji, MN. It has been six years since Hardel’s senseless death, and yet justice remains out of reach.

As a mother who lost her only child to neglect and maltreatment in the very place meant to uphold justice, my heart remains shattered. The pain of losing a child is unimaginable, but to lose one in such a preventable way adds an unbearable weight that I carry every day.

Be Their Voices was born from this grief, fueled by the need to ensure that no other family suffers this pain. We are here to give a voice to those who can no longer speak for themselves, to fight for justice for those neglected, abused, and mistreated while in custody.

But the fight is far from over. Six years later, we still have not received the justice Hardel deserves. We continue to demand accountability for those responsible for his death and to advocate for systemic changes that protect the rights and lives of those incarcerated.

Take Action

We need your support now more than ever. If you stand with us, we ask you to take action today. Please write a letter to your local Representative, urging them to support the Hardel Sherrell Act and ensure it receives a hearing in the next legislative session. It’s crucial that our elected officials make the necessary amendments we proposed last session to protect the lives of those incarcerated.

In addition, we ask you to call or write to the Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and demand that criminal charges be brought against those responsible for Hardel’s death. Our family needs to begin the process of grieving and find some semblance of closure. Your voice can help us achieve the justice Hardel deserves.

Contact Information:

Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison

445 Minnesota Street, Suite 1400
St. Paul, MN 55101-2131
Tel: (651) 296-3353 (Twin Cities Calling Area)
Tel: (800) 657-3787 (Outside the Twin Cities)

Thank you for standing with us in this fight.

Join Us for the Premiere of MAMA! – A Night of Reflection, Empowerment, and Advocacy

Join Us for the Premiere of MAMA! – A Night of Reflection, Empowerment, and Advocacy

by | Feb 27, 2024 | Advocacy, Community Events, Documentary Films, Film Premieres, Social Justice

We are thrilled to invite you to a profound and impactful event hosted by non-profits Daunte and Kobe No More Names Initiative and Be Their Voices. On Friday, March 22nd, from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm, we will gather at the historic Capri Theater located at 2027 W Broadway, Minneapolis, MN 55411, for the premiere of MAMA! This compelling film screening will be followed by a thought-provoking panel discussion featuring the filmmakers and courageous mothers dedicated to ending police violence and senseless jail deaths.

The Story of MAMA!

MAMA! is more than just a movie; it’s a testament to resilience, strength, and the unwavering bond between a mother and her child. In the wake of George Floyd’s tragic death, the world witnessed an unprecedented surge in the fight for racial justice. Yet, behind the headlines and protests lie countless untold stories of grief and loss. MAMA! sheds light on these stories, focusing on the experiences of three mothers from Minnesota, the epicenter of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020: Del Shea Perry, Amity Dimock, and Katie Wright.

Director and Writer

Directed by Sofia Drai and written by Carl Reid, MAMA! skillfully navigates the harrowing journey of these mothers. Their resilience, courage, and solidarity serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for communities everywhere.

Availability and Premiere Event

Starting February 6th, MAMA! will be available to rent or own on all digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms, as well as on DVD. This premiere event is an opportunity to come together as a community, to honor the memories of those we’ve lost, and to reaffirm our commitment to justice and equality. Tickets for the premiere of MAMA! are free, with donations gratefully accepted to support the initiatives of DKNMNI and Be Their Voices.

We encourage you to reserve your ticket today and join us for an evening of reflection, empowerment, and advocacy. Together, let’s ensure that no mother suffers the pain of losing a child to injustice ever again.

Reserve your ticket now at: MAMA! Premiere Tickets

[Event Details] Date: Friday, March 22nd, 2024 Time: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Location: Capri Theater, 2027 W Broadway, Minneapolis, MN 55411

Together, let’s make a difference. Join us for the premiere of MAMA! #MAMA #BeTheirVoices #NoMoreNames #JusticeForAll

Board revokes nurse’s license five years after inmate dies in her care

Board revokes nurse’s license five years after inmate dies in her care

by | Dec 13, 2023 | Beltrami County, Beltrami County Jail, Health Care, Inmates, Justice System, KARE11, MEND Correctional Care

Watch the full video on KARE11’s website, click here.

KARE 11 Investigates: Board revokes nurse’s license five years after inmate dies in her care

Author: Brandon Stahl (KARE11), A.J. Lagoe, Steve Eckert
Published: 6:24 PM CST December 12, 2023
Updated: 10:14 PM CST December 12, 2023
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Five years after inmate Hardel Sherrell died in her care, and numerous calls for action to be taken against her, the Minnesota Board of Nursing on Tuesday revoked the license of Michelle Skroch.

 

Skroch was directly in charge of Sherrell’s care in the Beltrami County Jail the last two days of his life in 2018, when he became paralyzed and likely succumbed to Guillen Barre syndrome. Though Sherrell’s caregivers believed he was faking his symptoms, Skroch failed to help him, or even check his vital signs.

 

Skroch not only failed to take Sherrell’s vital signs, but also only observed him from a window in a hallway on the day he died, Case wrote. There, Skroch watched as Sherrell laid on a mattress while spit rolled down his cheek. Skroch told staff to give Sherrell nutrients through a straw. She did not assess him again. He died about two-and-a-half hours after she left the jail.

 

Credit: Sherburne County 2017 press release
Michelle Skroch and Dr. Todd Leonard

 

Skroch, “has tried, in hindsight, to characterize the scant attention she gave to (Sherrell) as falling within the acceptable standard of care,” Case wrote.

“She claims she was able to observe him at a distance, that there was no harm in not taking vital signs, that it was normal procedure to delegate personal cares to jail staff, that she was too busy to devote more time to (Sherrell) and that her treatment of him was the standard treatment for patients diagnosed as malingering.”

Skroch, “exhibited a careless disregard for her patient,” Case wrote. “This careless disregard is heightened by the fact that because he was in custody, Licensee was (Sherrell’s) only means of obtaining the medical care he required.” Skroch did not respond to a request for comment from KARE 11.

 

At the time of Sherrell’s death, Skroch was the director of nursing for MEnD Correctional Care, which at one point, was the largest provider of jail health care services in the state. The company was run by Dr. Todd Leonard, whom Skroch was in a romantic relationship with when Sherrell died.

 

MEnD has since filed for bankruptcy and is no longer in business.

 

Leonard had his medical license suspended in January 2022, though it was restored late last month.

In the report released Tuesday, the Nursing Board revealed that Skroch had gone before them in May 2020, but no action was taken. Even after getting what the board described as “new information” in November 2021, it still took until February and March 2023 for the case to go before the administrative law judge. Case issued her findings in September. Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office is still deciding whether to file criminal charges. Ellison has had the case since February 2023. “Our fight is far from over because there needs to be criminal accountability for Hardel’s egregious death,” said Sherrell’s mother, Del Shea Perry.

Minnesota Lets Nurses Practice While Disciplinary Investigations Drag On. Patients Keep Getting Hurt

Minnesota Lets Nurses Practice While Disciplinary Investigations Drag On. Patients Keep Getting Hurt

by | Apr 5, 2023 | Health Care, Inmates, Justice System

A 2015 state audit found the Minnesota Board of Nursing was slow to act on complaints about nurses, putting the public at risk. The board ramped up its discipline for a few years, but now cases are backing up again.

by Emily Hopkins and Jeremy Kohler

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive our stories in your inbox every week. This story was co-published with Minnesota Public Radio and KARE-TV.

Amy Morris started working at Hilltop Health Care Center in Watkins, Minnesota, in June 2021 with a clean nursing license that belied her looming troubles.

Morris, a licensed practical nurse, had been fired from a nearby nursing home seven months earlier for stealing narcotics from elderly residents. The state of Minnesota’s health department investigated and found that the accusation was substantiated, and then notified the Board of Nursing, the state agency responsible for licensing and monitoring nurses.

But even though state law requires the board to immediately suspend a nurse who presents an imminent risk of harm, it allowed Morris to keep practicing.

In September 2021, supervisors at Hilltop discovered that pain pills were disappearing during Morris’ shifts and called the sheriff. Only then did Hilltop learn of allegations of narcotic theft that had been made nearly a year earlier at the other nursing home.

“I thought, ‘How is she practicing now?’” Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze recalled.

The answer, ProPublica found, is that the nursing board’s investigations frequently drag on for months or even years. As a result, nurses are sometimes allowed to keep practicing despite allegations of serious misconduct.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. In the face of intense criticism eight years ago, the nursing board announced changes to improve its performance. But that progress was short-lived, ProPublica found.

Since 2018, the average time taken to resolve a complaint has more than doubled to 11 months, while hundreds of complaints have been left open for more than a year; state law generally requires complaints to be resolved in a year. Some nurses, like Morris, have gone on to jeopardize the health of more patients as the board failed to act on earlier complaints.

Company’s bankruptcy leaves Minn. counties searching for jail medical care

Company’s bankruptcy leaves Minn. counties searching for jail medical care

by | Jan 5, 2023 | Beltrami County, FBI, Grand Jury, MEND Correctional Care

A controversial jail doctor’s company filed for bankruptcy last month, leaving more than a dozen Minnesota counties scrambling to find a different health provider for people in their jails.

Last month, MEnD Correctional Care informed counties by letter that it is terminating correctional health care services within 90 days.

“MEnD will use all reasonable means to ensure that appropriate medical services coverage (is) in place during this period of time,” wrote Todd Leonard, MEnD’s founder.

However, he urged them to “work expeditiously” to find a new provider, noting that “labor market changes” could affect MEnD’s ability to retain staff.

The Sartell, Minn.-based company has faced allegations of failing to provide adequate care to inmates, including 27-year-old Hardel Sherrell, who died in 2018 of medical complications after his pleas for help were ignored by Beltrami County jail and medical staff.

Last January, a state board suspended Leonard’s medical license indefinitely, finding that he demonstrated a willful or careless disregard for a patient’s health, welfare or safety in Sherrell’s case.

The FBI and a grand jury are investigating the circumstances of Sherrell’s death. The Beltrami County attorney has turned over an investigation to a private law firm to recommend whether anyone should face criminal charges.

Read the full article on mprnews.org

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