JOHNSTOWN – A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed against the Clearfield and Jefferson county jails, alleging that deficient mental health treatment directly resulted in an inmate’s death back in March of 2019.
The lawsuit was filed because of events that occurred during and following the arrest of Michael J. Duffalo, 38, of Brockway on March 4, 2019 in Jefferson County.
During a domestic disturbance at his Seventh Avenue Apartment, Duffalo reportedly held a knife to his head and made threats to harm himself, prompting a 911 call.
He was still “incoherent” and “disgruntled” when law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, and according to the lawsuit, he was immediately tased, arrested and transported to Jefferson County Jail.
The lawsuit states Duffalo didn’t receive any type of mental health, suicide or drug screenings while “obviously” suffering from a breakdown and when immediate medical care was necessary.
The next day – March 5, 2019 – Duffalo was transferred to Clearfield County Jail on an outstanding warrant that was issued for his failure to appear for court on misdemeanor theft charges.
According to the lawsuit, arresting officers with the Pennsylvania State Police, Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies and Clearfield and Jefferson County prison officials were all deliberately “indifferent” to Duffalo’s mental health.
The lawsuit alleges that because Duffalo’s mental health was not addressed, he was ultimately incarcerated in an overcrowded Clearfield County Jail with no clothes or bedding.
According to the lawsuit, these poor living conditions caused the inmate’s mental health to deteriorate further, which would have been “even more obvious” to corrections officers.
Duffalo was reportedly being housed in a common area because of jail overcrowding when he removed a ceiling tile and used his sheet to take his own life March 10, 2019.
According to the lawsuit, former Warden Greg Collins was aware of the deficient policies, procedures, customs and practices concerning mental health, suicide prevention and drug screening at the jail.
It also alleges that Collins was aware of several inmate suicides prior to and following Duffalo’s death. Collins retired in March of 2020 after working over two decades at the jail.
Duffalo’s daughter filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania, Johnstown, alleging federal civil rights violations and a Pennsylvania wrongful death action.
More specifically, the lawsuit states Duffalo’s Fourth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights, under the U.S. Constitution, were violated throughout the course of his arrest and incarceration.
Clearfield County Commissioner Chairman John Sobel, who also sits on the county’s Prison Board, could not comment due to the “pending litigation” and “upon advice” of county Solicitor Heather Bozovich.
Though filed on March 10, Sobel noted that the county still hasn’t been served its physical copy of the complaint.
Duffalo’s daughter and administrator of his estate, Mikayla Duffalo, is being represented by Mark B. Frost and Dylan T. Hasting of Mark B. Frost & Associates, Philadelphia.