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Lawsuit Dismissed in Death of Delaware Inmate

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WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit involving a Delaware prison inmate who died from a ruptured appendix.

19-year-old Raequan Stevens died in 2015 while being held in connection with an attempted robbery during which he was wounded and his brother fatally shot.

According to court records, Stevens allegedly reported to emergency sick call with severe abdominal pain and was returned to general population after being given a 400 milligram Motrin pill and two antacid tablets. He was found dead in his cell two days later.

Stevens' mother claimed officials were deliberately indifferent to his medical needs.

The judge ruled Monday that the complaint failed to state an actionable constitutional claim against the state defendants and failed to allege that any particular conduct of state officials violated clearly established law.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.