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A Nevada coroner’s office ruled that an inmate who was pepper-sprayed, shackled and restrained with his face to the ground was killed by prison guards.
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An autopsy report revealed that 39-year-old Patrick Odale’s death at the Southern Desert Correctional Center on Dec. 28, 2023 was ruled a homicide, The Associated Press reported.
The autopsy report was finalized in late August after a nearly nine-month investigation by the Clark County coroner’s office into Odale’s death at the mostly medium security prison near Las Vegas.
The report said Odale died of “positional and mechanical asphyxia in the setting of law enforcement restraint.”
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(This undated image provided by Amy Estrada shows Patrick Odale in North Las Vegas, Nevada. (Amy Estrada via AP))
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Oregon-based forensic pathology expert Michael Freeman, who was not involved in the investigation, told The Associated Press “mechanical and positional asphyxia” typically happens when someone is restrained face down with their hands behind their back, while pressure is placed on their torso, arms or neck.
The report also noted that Odale had low levels of methamphetamine and xylazine, an animal sedative, in his system, which the coroner’s office described as a “major contributor” to his death.
When the Nevada Department of Corrections announced Odale’s death in a January news release, it did not reveal details suggesting the inmate was restrained.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Nevada Department of Corrections for comment.
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Patrick Odale died at the Southern Desert Correctional Center in Nevada on Dec. 28, 2023.(Google Maps)
The agency told The Associated Press it had no comment because the matter is still an “active investigation.”
It is not clear how many officers were involved in Odale’s death, if any of the officers were disciplined, or how Odale was able to gain access to drugs while in custody.
In May, a corrections officer was arrested as part of the agency’s so-called “crack down on contraband,” after allegedly bringing cigarettes, lighters, cellphones, vape pens, tobacco and liquid spice into the facility, court records obtained by The AP show.
Odale was sentenced in early 2023 to up to two years in prison for being in possession of a stolen credit card and attempting to carry a concealed weapon.
The night that he died, officers reported that Odale was “erratic and growling” at them, the autopsy showed.
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The report said the guards pepper-sprayed Odale and put him in a storage room with yard tools for several minutes until he started “thrashing in the room.”
Officers then allegedly pulled him to the ground, restrained him and took him to the prison infirmary.
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The Clark County Coroner’s Office reported that Narcan was administered to Patrick Odale several times before he died.(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
During the ordeal, medical and prison staff administered Narcan to Odale several times.
The coroner’s office reviewed video of the incident in order to determine the cause and manner of death, and the autopsy report indicates there could be a gap in the video footage.
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The medical examiner said the footage shows Odale groaning as he is taken to the infirmary. Odale was also seen face-down with his hands shackled behind his back.
Then, the medical examiner said, “after a gap, video coverage resumes,” and staff is seen performing CPR on Odale, who was unresponsive.
“When the video resumes, the inmate is face-up with hands shackled anteriorly,” the autopsy stated, meaning that his hands were no longer shackled behind him but were in front of his body.
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Odale was pronounced dead shortly after.
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The medical examiner ruled that Odale died because he was restrained in a way that prevented him from breathing, along with the effects of recent drug use.
LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) – Obi Agbim had 18 points in Wyoming’s 66-63 victory against Nevada on Saturday night.
Agbim went 7 of 12 from the field (4 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Cowboys (8-5, 1-1 Mountain West Conference). Touko Tainamo shot 3 of 6 from the field, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 7 for 8 from the line to add 15 points. Dontaie Allen finished 3 of 3 from 3-point range to finish with nine points.
Nick Davidson finished with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks for the Wolf Pack (8-5, 0-2). Nevada also got 15 points and three steals from Kobe Sanders. Justin McBride finished with 11 points and three blocks.
Agbim put up seven points in the first half for Wyoming, who led 26-24 at the break. Wyoming used an 8-0 second-half run come back from a three-point deficit and take the lead at 41-36 with 12:17 remaining in the half before finishing off the victory. Tainamo scored 13 second-half points. Davidson missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer with 7 seconds left and Nevada trailing 64-63. Tainamo made two free throws with 2 seconds left to finish off the win.
Nevada will try to pick up its first conference win in a place the Wolf Pack basketball team has struggled.
Nevada (8-4 overall, 0-1 MW) travels to Laramie, Wyoming to face the Cowboys (7-5, 0-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday. To pick up a win, they’ll need to continue their hot shooting and find a way to slow down Wyoming’s Obi Agbim.
Watch the game on KNSN or listen on the radio at 95.5 FM.
Nevada is coming off a 66-64 loss to Colorado State. The Cowboys are coming off a win over Cal State Fullerton, 73-69. Nevada has not won in Laramie since February 25, 2020 —that one a 73-68 win.
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Nevada is shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from 3-point range, leading the MW in both. The Pack ranks fifth in the nation from behind the arc.
Nevada is grabbing 34.7 rebounds per game to rank ninth in the conference.
Kobe Sanders leads the Wolf Pack in scoring at 15.2 points per game. He is shooting 44.7 percent from behind the arc with 17 makes. Nick Davidson adds 15 points per game and leads the team with 6.4 rebounds per night. He is shooting 53.6 percent from the field. Tre Coleman adds 9.3 points per game and is second on the team with 50 assists behind 56 from Sanders. The Cowboys are shooting 47.1 percent from the field and allowing opponents to shoot 42.8 percent. Wyoming is shooting 34.3 percent from behind the arc with 7.6 makes per game.
The Cowboys are led in scoring by Obi Agbim at 18.9 points per night, second in the MW and No. 39 in the nation. He ranks second in the MW shooting 53.7 percent from the field and leads the conference shooting 47.8 percent from behind the arc. Kobe Newton adds 10.2 points per game and Jordan Nesbitt adds 9.9 points per game. He leads the team with 8.4 rebounds per game for fourth in the MW.
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The series
The Cowboys lead the all-time series 21-10 with Nevada with the first meeting coming back in 1938. The Cowboys hold a 13-5 lead in the series in Laramie.
San Jose State Spartans (7-6) at Nevada Wolf Pack (5-8)
Reno, Nevada; Sunday, 4 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: San Jose State visits Nevada after Sofia Kelemeni scored 27 points in San Jose State’s 100-44 win against the Bethesda (CA) Flames.
The Wolf Pack have gone 4-3 in home games. Nevada is seventh in the MWC in rebounding with 32.2 rebounds. Lexie Givens paces the Wolf Pack with 6.2 boards.
The Spartans are 1-2 on the road. San Jose State is 1-0 in games decided by less than 4 points.
Nevada’s average of 6.2 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 6.3 per game San Jose State gives up. San Jose State’s 40.7% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.7 percentage points lower than Nevada has allowed to its opponents (43.4%).
The Wolf Pack and Spartans meet Sunday for the first time in conference play this season.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Dymonique Maxie is averaging 6.6 points and 1.8 steals for the Wolf Pack.
Rylei Waugh is averaging 7.2 points for the Spartans.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wolf Pack: 4-6, averaging 68.5 points, 34.3 rebounds, 12.3 assists, 7.6 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 38.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 67.5 points per game.
Spartans: 5-5, averaging 64.4 points, 34.1 rebounds, 13.9 assists, 6.8 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 40.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.1 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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