RUTLAND — The cause of death for a Marble Valley Correctional Facility inmate who died at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center remains unknown pending further studies, according to New Hampshire’s chief forensic investigator.
On August 18, Scott Clark was transferred from Marble Valley to Rutland Regional Medical Center after experiencing a “medical emergency.” That same day he was taken by ambulance to Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Clark, 46, died five days later. He was serving a nine-month to 43-year sentence on a variety of charges, including grand larceny.
Kim Fallon, New Hampshire’s Chief Forensic Investigator, says the cause of death has not been determined and the Medical Examiner’s office is awaiting additional test results, which could take another two to three months. Fallon said in cases that look like a drug overdose, the examiner’s office has started adding “pending toxicology for death” in the certificate. In this case the certificate says “pending studies.”
“I’m assuming it doesn’t look like a drug death, but it could be,” Fallon said.
Clark’s wife, Renee, told the Times Argus her husband was a recovering heroin addict. She said he had gall bladder problems before he went into jail earlier this year. The hospital, she said, told her he had severe bleeding in his brain.
The National Commission on Correctional Health Care, a non-profit that accredits hundreds of correctional facilities, last reviewed Marble Valley over a two-day period in October 2015. The facility was found to have met all but one of the commission’s “essential standards” and was granted “continuing accreditation with verification” in January.
According to the report, Marble Valley did not provide evidence that hands-on evaluations were being conducted during the initial health assessment, a standard screening procedure when inmates enter the facility. Marble Valley has since addressed the matter and was granted full accreditation in August.
In its description of the facility, the report noted that the health services vendor at the time of the survey had assumed responsibility in 2015. There were eight full-time equivalent health care staff but vacancies for a part time LPN, a part-time physician, and a part-time psychiatric registered nurse.
The report also noted that on average there were nine health-related grievances filed per month at the Marble Valley Facility. Appeals are handled by a representative of the Department of Corrections in consultation with the Health Services Director. The NCCHC found that response rates at Marble Valley were timely.
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