Citizen Report No. 1735872433 - 1168839639

CLEET Number : 0064070

License Type : Fulltime Peace Officer

License Category : Advanced Certification

License Status : Active

License Effective Date : 03/20/1989

License Expiry Date : N/A

On or about November 19, 2024, records filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma ordered a judgement in favor of the family of Angela Liggins, who died while in custody of the Wagoner County Jail. 

Liggans was a type one diabetic, booked into the Wagoner County Jail on or about May 17, 2021.  The lawsuit says Liggans tried to give herself insulin in the booking area but deputies took her insulin away then took her to the ground, handcuffed her, and put her in a cell.   Liggans was then forced to go without her insulin for at least two days.  She later died on June 2nd.

Her family’s attorney, Dan Smolen, says that in the days leading up to her death, she was showing obvious signs something was wrong.

“Ms. Liggins falls multiple times, hitting her head,” said Smolen. “She's sweating profusely. She is hallucinating. She is unaware of her surroundings. This goes on, not for hours, but for days. It's all documented by jail staff, and much of it is on surveillance video.”

Smolen says those are signs of diabetic ketoacidosis, which happens when a body cannot produce enough insulin to survive. - Kaitlyn Deggs [News on 6].

The State Medical Examiner ruled diabetic ketoacidosis as cause of death.

Sheriff Elliott's maladministration of the county jail, resulted in the $13.5 million settlement, which led the Wagoner County Election Board to call a special election for they county to vote on increasing local sales tax in order to cover the remaining $13,016,843.30 that the Sheriff's insurer did not cover.