Inmate death was medical, no foul play suspected

A coroner has ruled that the July 2 death of an inmate at the Union Parish Detention Center was the result of a medical emergency unrelated to a scuffle the inmate had earlier in the day, according to Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates.

Kevin Grisby, 44, of Minden, experienced a seizure followed by a heart attack shortly after 8 p.m., according to the coroner’s report.  Deputies and an ambulance were dispatched at 8:21 pm, and when they arrived a few minutes later, determined that Grisby had passed away, Gates said.

The inmate had been involved in a brief altercation about three hours prior to his death, but Gates said investigators who reviewed video of the incident concluded that Grisby was not injured in the fight, which Gates described as more of a “scuffle” than a fight.

The Detention Center reported that Grisby had a history of seizures, Gates said.

The coroner’s report determined that Grisby’s death was the result of a medical emergency and foul play is not suspected. No illegal drugs or alcohol were found in the inmate’s bloodstream, the coroner reported.

According to the initial investigation, witnesses reported that Grisby had been complaining of headaches in the days leading up to his death.

Grisby was incarcerated on a charge of second-degree battery.