Salem, OR – The mother of a former inmate who died by suicide in an Oregon state prison has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the state of Oregon and officials from the Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC). The lawsuit, which was filed this month in U.S. District Court in Portland, accuses the corrections agency of negligence and failure to provide adequate mental health care leading up to the death of her son, Grayson James-Allen Painter.
Painter, 22, died on June 29, 2023, while in a segregation unit at the Oregon State Correctional Institution (OSCI). According to the lawsuit, a corrections officer discovered that Painter had taken his own life in his cell. The case draws attention to several alleged failures within the corrections system, particularly in how inmates with mental health needs are treated.
Grayson Painter’s brief time in the Oregon correctional system began on May 24, 2023, after he was arrested for a probation violation. He had previously been convicted of felony assault on a peace officer in 2022 and had a history of mental health struggles. Court records indicate that Painter was homeless and exhibited signs of mental health challenges, including suicidal thoughts, during his interactions with police officers. Just before being transferred to state prison, Painter spent nearly three weeks on suicide watch in Washington County Jail.
Once in the ODOC system, Painter’s medical records and intake documents showed a history of psychosis, suicidal ideation, and hallucinations. Despite this, the lawsuit alleges that he was not provided the necessary mental health care. On June 28, 2023, Painter was transferred to OSCI, a medium-security facility located near Salem.
The next day, a behavioral health evaluator noted that Painter was “irritable, confused, and a bit manic” and revealed plans to stop taking his medication. Despite his deteriorating condition, Painter was placed in the prison’s disciplinary segregation unit. During this time, staff allegedly observed Painter engaging in self-harm by banging his head on the metal bars of his cell. Instead of offering help, corrections officers threatened him with pepper spray, the lawsuit claims.
Inmates in the same unit reported that officers taunted Painter, even making disturbing comments encouraging him to harm himself. One inmate recalled offering Painter a book in an attempt to console him, but Painter responded tearfully, saying he “won’t be around much longer.” The lawsuit suggests that, despite clear signs of mental distress, staff failed to intervene and provide the appropriate care.
Further troubling details emerge from the lawsuit, which states that when staff checked on Painter during their rounds, they observed erratic behavior, such as throwing water around in his cell. Additionally, the security camera monitoring his cell was reportedly malfunctioning, and no attempts were made to fix it. According to the lawsuit, there is no indication that ODOC staff engaged with Painter or attempted to provide him with care after these signs of a mental health crisis emerged.
At 6:55 p.m. on June 29, 2023, a staff member found Painter unconscious in his cell. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead at 7:30 p.m. His urinalysis test later came back negative for drugs, further suggesting that his mental health issues, rather than substance use, played a significant role in his death.
The lawsuit argues that ODOC staff failed to adequately monitor Painter, assess his mental health condition, and intervene in the moments leading up to his death. It also accuses the agency of deliberately ignoring his distress and neglecting to provide life-saving mental health care. The lawsuit highlights systemic issues within the Oregon corrections system, including concerns about the adequacy of mental health care and oversight in state prisons.
Jennifer Painter, who lives in New Jersey, is seeking punitive damages and attorney fees. The total amount will be determined following a trial. She is represented by Juan Chavez, an attorney from the Oregon Justice Resource Center, a nonprofit organization focused on prison reforms.
The case comes amid growing scrutiny of the Oregon Department of Corrections’ healthcare system, particularly in light of reports of inadequate care and systemic failures within the department. Last year, two of the agency’s top health care administrators were placed on leave during an ongoing investigation into the backlog of medical appointments and concerns about substandard care in the state’s 12,000-inmate facilities.
Amber Campbell, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Corrections, declined to comment on the lawsuit.
