The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued an order and judgment Thursday in *Myers v. Turn Key Health Clinics*, a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the death of Lorri Gayle Tedder while she was in pretrial custody at Rogers County Jail in Claremore, Oklahoma.
The appeal, case number 24-5113, was decided by a three-judge panel consisting of Circuit Judges Matheson, Phillips, and Rossman. The court opted to decide the case on briefs without oral argument, honoring the parties' request for expedited resolution under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34(f).
According to court documents, Tedder suffered a sudden cardiac episode while detained at the Rogers County Jail and died several days later at a local hospital. The circumstances surrounding her medical care and death form the basis of the wrongful death claims against Turn Key Health Clinics LLC, an Oklahoma limited liability corporation, and individual defendant Kylee Foster.
The lawsuit was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma under case number 4:22-CV-00119-JDR-JFJ. The plaintiffs are Ashley Myers and Courtney Vaughn, who serve both individually and as co-personal representatives of Tedder's estate. Both women brought claims seeking damages related to Tedder's death and the alleged inadequate medical care she received.
Turn Key Health Clinics LLC operates as a healthcare provider that contracts with correctional facilities to provide medical services to inmates. The company's involvement in Tedder's case appears to stem from its role in providing healthcare services at the Rogers County Jail where Tedder was housed during her pretrial detention.
The federal court case highlights ongoing concerns about medical care quality in correctional facilities across the United States. Jails and prisons often contract with private healthcare companies to provide medical services to inmates, creating complex liability questions when medical emergencies occur.
The Tenth Circuit's order notes that the panel "determined unanimously to honor the parties' request for a decision on the briefs without oral argument." This procedural decision allows for faster resolution of appeals when the legal issues are straightforward and do not require extensive oral advocacy.
The court's order and judgment carries specific limitations on its precedential value. The document states it "is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel." However, it may be cited for its persuasive value under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 32.1 and Tenth Circuit Rule 32.1.
The case represents part of a broader pattern of litigation involving medical care in correctional settings. Private healthcare companies that contract with jails and prisons face increasing scrutiny over their treatment of inmates, particularly in cases involving emergency medical situations.
Wrongful death claims in correctional healthcare settings often involve complex questions about the standard of care owed to detainees and inmates. The Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, which courts have interpreted to require adequate medical care for incarcerated individuals.
For pretrial detainees like Tedder, the legal standard may be even more protective, as these individuals have not been convicted of crimes and retain stronger constitutional protections under the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause.
The tragic circumstances of Tedder's death - suffering a cardiac episode while in custody and dying days later in a hospital - raise questions about emergency response protocols, medical screening procedures, and the adequacy of on-site medical care at the Rogers County Jail.
Turn Key Health Clinics and similar companies that provide correctional healthcare services operate in a challenging environment where they must balance cost considerations with the constitutional mandate to provide adequate medical care to inmates and detainees.
The involvement of individual defendant Kylee Foster suggests potential claims of personal liability against specific healthcare providers or staff members involved in Tedder's care. Individual liability claims often focus on whether particular healthcare workers met professional standards of care.
The Northern District of Oklahoma, where the case originated, regularly handles civil rights lawsuits involving conditions of confinement and medical care in correctional facilities throughout the state. These cases often involve both federal constitutional claims and state law wrongful death or medical malpractice theories.
The Tenth Circuit's jurisdiction covers Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico, and the court frequently addresses issues related to correctional healthcare and inmates' rights. The circuit has developed substantial precedent regarding the constitutional requirements for medical care in correctional settings.
While the specific outcome of the appeal is not detailed in the available court documents, the issuance of an "order and judgment" indicates the panel has resolved the dispute. The case serves as another example of the ongoing legal challenges facing private healthcare companies that contract with correctional facilities to provide medical services to vulnerable populations.