Correctional Officer Gunnar Thompson was one of several Worcester County Jail staff accused in a wrongful death lawsuit after a detainee, 36-year-old Kyle Arthur, died by suicide in the jail on September 10, 2021. According to the lawsuit, Thompson was assigned to conduct inmate welfare checks every 30 minutes, but records and video indicate he entered Arthur’s cellblock only three times during an eight-hour shift. Thompson ultimately discovered Arthur hanging in his cell. The suit alleges that Thompson’s failure to perform required checks contributed to Arthur’s death. The case is pending as part of a $5 million federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Arthur’s family.
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