Review Panel Confirms No Foul Play Involved in Death of Lewis County Jail Inmate in September

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A Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) review panel has determined no foul play was involved in the death of a 47-year-old man that occurred in the Lewis County Jail in September. 

The Washington Department of Health added WASPC’s unexpected fatality review to its database on March 23. 

The review was conducted by a committee of five individuals selected by WASPC’s Correction Liaison John McGrath to interview corrections bureau administrators and look over all reports and surveillance video relevant to the death.  

The man was not identified in the WASPC report but was previously identified as Matthew Potter, of Pe Ell. 

Corrections deputies found Potter unconscious on the toilet at about 11:11 p.m. on Sept. 2, 2022, while deputies were conducting hourly checks of the housing units, according to previous Chronicle reporting. 

Potter had reportedly complained of back pain while performing his kitchen duties with the Work Ethic Restitution Center (WERC) the day prior, Sept. 1. He was treated by medical staff that day, according to WASPC’s review report. 

Jail staff reported Potter “indicated no medical or mental health issues at (the) time of (his) booking” into the Lewis County Jail on July 24, 2022, per the reports. 

Due to his complaints of back pain and subsequent medical treatment, jail staff temporarily removed Potter from his WERC duties and assigned him to “a single occupant housing unit,” according to the reports. 

When corrections deputies found Potter unresponsive in his cell on Sept. 2, 2022, they “immediately began rendering aid” and radioed for medical response, according to the reports. Medical staff and additional jail staff arrived approximately two minutes later and assisted with lifesaving measures, including CPR and use of an automated external defibrillator. 

Aid personnel with American Medical Response and the Chehalis Fire Department took over treatment when they arrived at the scene, ultimately transporting Potter to Providence Centralia Hospital. 

The ambulance reportedly arrived at the hospital at approximately 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 2, according to the reports. 



Hospital staff pronounced Potter dead at approximately 2:28 a.m. on Sept. 3. 

The likely cause of death was myocardial infarction leading to cardiac arrest, according to medical personnel cited in the reports. 

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation into Potter’s death, which was then reviewed by the WASPC committee. 

While state law typically requires the review to be completed within 120 days, “This review team experienced an unforeseen delay in the review process due to the unfortunate passing of WASPC Corrections Liaison John McGrath,” per the reports. 

Due to McGrath’s death, the review team was granted an extension, according to the reports. 

The five people on the review team were Dr. Marc Stern, Dr. Radha Sadacharan, Lieutenant Ren Emerson of the City of Olympia, Captain Ryan Barrett of South Correctional Entity in Des Moines, and WASPC representative and former Clark County jail chief Ric Bishop. 

The team determined “custody staff acted appropriately with no indication of any policy/procedure violations” and medical staff, which are contracted through NaphCare Inc., “acted appropriately and per NaphCare protocols.” 

The review of Potter’s death was mandatory under legislation enacted in 2021, which requires reviews whenever a person confined in a Washington state jail dies unexpectedly. 

The legislation defines an unexpected fatality as “any death that was not the result of a diagnosed or documented terminal illness or other debilitating or deteriorating illness or condition where the death was anticipated, and includes the death of any person under the care and custody of the city or county department of corrections or chief local enforcement officer, regardless of where the death actually occurred,” DOH states on its website. 

To view the full review, visit https://bit.ly/3JXaYT2.