Washington Pays $4.5M After Inmate Dies From Untreated Bladder Cancer
Washington state has agreed to pay $4.5 million to the estate of Gordon Crockett, a 69-year-old inmate who died from bladder cancer while serving time at Stafford Creek Corrections Center. His death in October 2023 follows a pattern of lawsuits over delayed cancer treatment in state prisons. Crockett experienced symptoms of bladder cancer for nearly two years before doctors diagnosed the disease. By January 2023, the cancer had already spread to his spine. He was serving a sentence for first-degree murder and had less than a year left before his scheduled release.
A 2021 review by the state corrections ombuds highlighted ongoing problems with prison healthcare, particularly in cases involving cancer deaths. This settlement adds to a series of payouts linked to untreated or delayed cancer treatment behind bars.
In 2024, the state paid $9.9 million to a woman whose cervical cancer went untreated in prison. Last year, another $6 million was awarded to the family of a man who died from liver cancer at Monroe prison. A separate 2022 case saw the state pay $3.75 million to the family of a man whose cancer was ignored until it became fatal. The latest settlement brings the total payouts for cancer-related prison deaths to over $24 million in recent years. State officials have not announced any new policies to address the recurring issues in inmate medical care. The case follows a documented history of delays in diagnosis and treatment within the prison system.
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