Earlier this month, the families of Rex Corcoran, Jr., and Carmela DeVargas led a protest in front of the Santa Fe County Detention Center in support of their demand that a grand jury be empaneled to investigate the jail's role in the deaths of Mr. Corcoran and Ms. DeVargas. Mr. Corcoran and Ms. DeVargas died in the hospital after being transferred there from the jail.  Neither received timely and appropriate medical care, including for substance use disorders or appropriate monitoring and treatment. Mr. Corcoran and Ms. DeVargas were both only 34 years old, and yet are among numerous persons who have died in the last 20 years due to inadequate medical care at the jail, leading Mark Donatelli to conclude, that “it appears there are some county commissioners who would rather spend money on lawyers and insurance than on improving care.” Rothstein Donatelli represents Mr. Corcoran's estate in a wrongful death lawsuit against the County.

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