On Friday, March 4, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department reported that on Sunday, Feb. 27, an inmate was found unconscious in his cell.
However, the department either did not have, or chose not to provide, many of the details surrounding the incident, which put the man in the hospital.
According to the report from the Sheriff’s Department, just after 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 27, a jail guard at the Guilford County Jail in High Point was conducting an inmate security round when he came upon the unconscious inmate.
After the inmate, John Valente, was discovered in his cell, the officer “performed all required medical assistance per protocol.”
Jail medical staff then arrived in the cell and began CPR, and Guilford County Emergency Medical Services was notified.
Valente was placed in an ambulance and taken to High Point Regional Hospital, where he received medical treatment for his condition.
The inmate’s family was notified.
The sheriff’s department’s release states: “No further information is available at this time,”
The department did provide an explanation as to why the current medical state of Valente isn’t being revealed: “HIPAA medical privacy rules prevent us from providing specific details concerning his current medical condition,” the press release states.
In the past, when an inmate has died in a Guilford County jail, that information has been included in the department’s press releases. The fact that death is not mentioned may be an indication that the inmate was alive at the time the department notified the public on March 4.
The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department did not reveal any information as to whether the inmate appeared beaten or ill from a medical condition – nor did it provide any other cause for the man’s unconscious state.
Whether beaten or ill, it’s all hearsay. The truth will come out.
Here it has been over a week and no information. We don’t need the persons name, but would be nice to know what caused the inmate to be unconscious. This is a regular occurrence under the current Sheriff who can not maintain proper staffing levels. This has led to several inmate deaths in the past year and injuries, a couple of serious ones to Detention Staff. The Sheriff is trying to keep things quiet, but thank goodness he wont be in office after the Election, maybe a lame duck after the Primary.