Autopsy shows inmate died of organ shutdown
Published 12:00 am Saturday, June 5, 1999
By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / June 5, 1999
LAPLACE – The 60-year-old man who died Tuesday morning in custody of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office died from multiple organ shutdown, anautopsy concluded Wednesday.
Lt. Michael Tregre of the St. John Sheriff’s Office said that Emile Narcisseof 128 Tigerville Loop in Edgard faced charges of possession of marijuana and possession of crack cocaine. He was booked May 24 as a pre-trialdetainee and remained at the Sherman Walker Correctional Center in the open dormitory area.
When booked, correctional officers were assessed of Narcisse’s poor health, including diabetes, asthma and epilepsy, Tregre continued.
On May 31 at 11 p.m., after a week’s stay, Narcisse complained of pains,headache and dizziness. Diagnosing a diabetic reaction, 12 units of insulinwere administered by medical staff at the jail.
The following day, at 7:28 a.m., fellow inmates reported to securityofficers that Narcisse had fainted. He soon awakened in a cold sweat andcomplained of weakness.
Officers transported Narcisse to River Parishes Hospital at 8:20 a.m. andhe was nauseous in the vehicle while enroute.
At 8:47 a.m., he died.Preliminary findings in the autopsy conducted the next day noted Narcisse had an enlarged heart and had died from “multiple organ decline, due to diabetes,” Tregre reported. At the time of his booking, according todocuments, Narcisse was 5-foot-10 in height but only weighed 130 pounds.
“He happened to die in our custody,” the department spokesman continued.
“There’s nothing to hide.”Narcisse was discovered on Feb. 12, 1998, along with a 54-year-old man,at an address on West Second Street in Edgard. Neighbors complained oftwo suspicious persons sitting in a parked car at 7:25 p.m.Upon the arrival of a deputy, the suspect car moved to Joseph Court, where the pair were taken into custody.
They were allegedly found in possession of a marijuana pipe containing a small quantity of marijuana and a clear, plastic bag containing three rocks of crack cocaine.
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