Nurse quits in wake of death at jail

Keith Paul

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001 | 11:03 a.m.

A nurse who checked the blood pressure of a Henderson jail inmate complaining of chest pains quit Wednesday as officials investigate the man's fatal heart attack less than an hour later.

The inmate, Mark T. Tucker, 44, told a jail nurse about 10:40 p.m. on Dec. 20 he was "experiencing chest pains," according to a Clark County coroner's report. "She (the nurse) stated that she took his blood pressure and he appeared to be normal. (Tucker) had at that time stated that he had a heart attack in the past but was not sure when it had occurred."

An autopsy determined Tucker died of a heart attack. Jail officials were aware Tucker had health problems and put him in a cell equipped with a buzzer in case of a medical emergency.

Nurse Jean Baster was called to the cell about 50 minutes later when Tucker's cellmate hit the emergency buzzer because Tucker had stopped breathing. Baster started CPR, and paramedics were called. Tucker died at the jail, the report states.

Baster, who could not be reached for comment this morning, turned in her city identification and resigned Wednesday, said a source familiar with the investigation who requested anonymity. She had been on regular duty at the jail since Tucker's death.

Henderson Police Chief Michael Mayberry said Tucker "died of natural causes" and declined further comment.

Baster worked for Emergency Medical Services Associates, which contracts with the Henderson jail to provide medical services.

The company, which was bought by Prison Health Services, will review Baster's actions once company officials get a copy of the autopsy, said Patrick Ozosky, a nurse and local medical administrator, who could not confirm whether Baster resigned.

Kathy Tucker, Tucker's wife, said she was outraged that a nurse would ignore her husband's complaints. She admits her husband wasn't the "picture of health," but is amazed nothing was done to help him.

The autopsy ruled Mark Tucker also had kidney, liver and lymph node cancer and moderate cirrhosis of the liver. There were no signs of injury to his body.

"I just feel like they just totally disregarded his health problems and ignored him and just left him there to die," she said. "If he was home and said he was having chest pains, I would have taken him to the emergency room."

Kathy Tucker has hired attorney Cal Potter, who said he is investigating the case.

Mayberry said jail guards depend on the contracted nurses and doctors to make the medical evaluations of inmates.

Ozosky said all of the doctors and nurses working for the company are properly licensed.

Ozosky said he couldn't talk specifically about the death in the Henderson jail because he wasn't there, but the medical director, a doctor, will review the case once he has all of the reports.

Mark Tucker was in the jail since Dec. 13 serving 21 days for contempt of court. He was sent to jail by Henderson Municipal Court Judge John Provost after a breath test showed there was alcohol in Tucker's system. Tucker was in court for a compliance check on a conviction three years ago of driving under the influence.

Kathy Tucker said her husband should have never been sent to jail because of his medical condition. He had been going to court-ordered counseling, she said.

"It was like a death sentence," she said. "If (the judge) wanted him to go to rehab, he would have gone. This whole thing was just handled wrong from the very beginning."