A judge has declared Jana Clyde, the Duchesne County nurse charged in the 2016 death of 21-year-old jail inmate Madison Jensen, Not Guilty of Negligent Homicide. The bench trial with Judge Don Torgerson took place in October in Uintah County’s 8th District Court after the trial in June ended in the jury deadlocked and the judge calling a mistrial. On Monday, Judge Torgerson issued his ruling which included commentary on the failures that led to Madison’s death while also addressing his ruling. “There were obvious institutional failures at the Duchesne County Jail that resulted in Madison’s death,” stated Judge Torgerson. “But the question is whether Nurse Clyde failed to perceive the risk of death from dehydration because her conduct ‘grossly deviated from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise in all the circumstances.’ The symptoms Nurse Clyde knew about were within normal range, for a normal time, for someone experiencing opiate withdrawal. And the correctional officers who have similar medical training and a duty to report did not report serious concerns about Madison to Nurse Clyde sufficient for her to investigate more.” The Judge emphasized that everyone should have done things differently but none of them perceived the risk of death. Judge Torgerson’s conclusion states that “Sadly, Madison was moved to court-holding for closer observation and protection, and she was definitely not observed or protected. But the court is not persuaded beyond a reasonable doubt that Nurse Clyde’s failure to perceive the risk of Madison’s death was a gross deviation from the standard of care.”
Photo: Obituary
