Jail suicide case spurs closed-door session
Staff writer
Kansas City lawyer Kevin Case met with county commissioners behind closed doors to discuss a wrongful death suit filed after a Marion woman committed suicide in jail Dec. 5, 2020.
Julie Starks had been arrested on suspicion of criminal deprivation of a motor vehicle, battery on a law enforcement officer, and disorderly conduct by then-Marion police officer Steven Janzen. Starks hanged herself with her shoelaces that night.
Her mother, Kathy Parrish, filed suit Sept. 15, 2022, against the city and the county on behalf of Starks’ two children.
In the suit, Parrish contended that both Marion police and the sheriff’s office knew Starks had a history of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicide attempts, but jailers did not put her on suicide watch. The suit further contended that jailers failed to take away Starks’ belt and shoelaces and failed to properly monitor her.
The suit claims that the sheriff’s office mishandled Starks’ death by having an inmate not trained in CPR perform it on Starks, lied about who performed CPR, and failed to properly notify emergency medical services, resulting in a 39-minute delay in treatment.
Parrish settled with the City of Marion for $15,000. She dismissed the suit in Marion County and filed a new suit in Sedgwick County against Sheriff Jeff Soyez and Marion County.
A Sedgwick County district judge ruled in February, 2024, that Marion County was the proper venue for the case, and the case was reinstated in Marion County District Court.
Trial is scheduled for Oct. 6 to 9.