Father of Inmate Slain Behind Bars Launches Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Pima County

In a troubling case, the father of Branden Roth, who died while incarcerated at the Pima County jail, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county. John Lewandowski alleges that his son’s death was due to negligence from the corrections chief and jail staff.

Roth was discovered unresponsive in his cell on April 12, suffering from multiple injuries, including significant trauma to his head and neck. An autopsy confirmed that strangulation was the cause of death, with blunt-force trauma being a contributing factor.

Shortly after the discovery, King Yates, Roth’s cellmate, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. At the time of the incident, Roth was a first-time offender jailed for a nonviolent crime, while Yates was awaiting trial for the murder of his wife.

The lawsuit, filed on May 29 in Pima County Superior Court, highlights specific concerns regarding Roth’s placement with Yates, who has a history of violent crime. Lewandowski emphasized that his son’s Confederate flag tattoo should have raised red flags about potential conflict with Yates, a black inmate.

Investigators later found a sock filled with batteries in Yates’ cell, which Lewandowski claims was utilized to inflict harm on Roth. The lawsuit contends that corrections officers failed to conduct regular checks on inmates, allowing Yates ample time to assault Roth without intervention.

Byron Gwaltney, the corrections chief named in the lawsuit, is accused of failing to appropriately classify and separate inmates. The lawsuit asserts that Gwaltney’s negligence led directly to Roth’s death.

Attempts to obtain a comment from Gwaltney were unsuccessful. Following a claim submitted to the county on May 18 for $5 million, Lewandowski pursued legal action after receiving no response.

The Pima County Attorney’s Office has a policy of not commenting on active litigation.

Contact reporter Caitlin Schmidt at cschmidt@tucson.com or 573-4191. Twitter: @caitlinschmidt