NCP Inmate Stricken By Cardiac Event, Passes Away

Easton resident Donnell Davis, 49, who was serving a sentence at Northampton County jail, was stricken by what has been described as a "cardiac event" on Saturday. He has passed away.

Davis was one of five people snagged in a drug sweep by Easton police in April. He was accused of escorting a police source to a drug dealer, and then witnessing a sale of crack cocaine. At his prelimhavinary arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Antonia Grifo, he denied making any sales. He claimed to have mental health issues and to be on medication, though he had no doctor. He also had trouble reading.

He would later waive his preliminary hearing and plead guilty to one felony count for his role. Judge Leonard Zito imposed an 11 month, 29 day sentence on August 31. This spared Davis state prison. Judge Zito gave Davis credit for time already served and waived court costs because Davis was disabled. He also ordered that Davis undergo psychiatric evaluation, and even agreed to parole Davis for mental health treatment if that was the ultimate recommendation.

It is unknown whether Davis had been evaluated, and if he was, whether a recommendation had yet been made.

Davis was a graduate of Easton Area High School. Originally from Reading, he was adopted. Those who know him describe "Donnie" as an affable person who was a bit gullible and perhaps a bit slow. Throughout his short life, he made mistakes. But his Facebook page shows a man who loved his son and daughters.

On Friday, the day before Davis passed away, the County was advised that it is receiving over $3 million from state Human Services to help expand the treatment options for inmates with mental illness. “By expanding available beds and treatment options, we’ll be able to keep people from languishing in the County prison system,” said Executive Lamont McClure. One of the chief features of this program is a re-entry housing program.

It's impossible to say whether Davis would have done better had he known this, but his biggest  worry on the day of his arrest was housing.

On Tuesday, I will have more to say about the efforts Northampton County is making to help inmates with mental illness. The county's re-entry coordinator talked about what is being done on Thursday night.