Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Nevada inmate denied cataract surgery dies, officials say

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John Colwell

An inmate who an appeals court determined was wrongfully denied cataract-removal surgery died today at High Desert State Prison near Indian Springs, according to the Nevada Department of Corrections.

The department said in a news release that John Colwell, 67, of Douglas County died of a chronic medical condition.

Colwell reportedly developed eye problems after entering the prison system in 1991 for a Douglas County murder. After having a left-eye cataract treated, he developed one in his right eye.

He was blind in that eye by 2002.

A federal appeals court ruled in August that prison officials may have shown "deliberate indifference" in not treating the right eye.

The court found that Colwell was denied the surgery because prison officials believed he could function in prison with one good eye.

Colwell was serving four consecutive sentences including life for first-degree murder, life for kidnapping, 180 months for robbery and 180 months for use of a deadly weapon enhancement.

An autopsy will be conducted.

Colwell's is the third announced death of an inmate in Nevada Department of Corrections custody since Saturday.

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