EPHRATA, Wash. — Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete released a statement Thursday afternoon regarding the death of an inmate while in custody at Grant County Jail.
I first want to offer my condolences to Richard Lambert’s family. Richard’s death must have come as a shock to those who knew him, and I hope that his loved ones can find peace.I also want to share that we continue to provide peer support to the Corrections Deputies and Support Staff on duty when Richard passed away. An in-custody death is not something our Corrections Deputies and Support Staff often experience.The well-being and safety of people in the care of the Grant County Jail is our priority. When someone dies in our custody, we must find all the facts about why it happened. To that end, I have asked two outside agencies to conduct different tasks to ensure the facts are found and the investigations are unbiased.First, the Central Basin Investigative Team, aka CBIT, will conduct the inquiry into Richard Lambert’s death.Once CBIT’s work is finished, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office will conduct an administrative investigation focused on our agency policies.No Grant County Sheriff’s Office employees will serve as investigators for the inquiries.The pace of the inquiries is up to the investigators. As with any investigation, thoroughness and accuracy take priority over speed. The results of these inquiries may provide information that we can act upon to help make necessary changes.Once the investigations are complete, I will share the reports with the public along with what steps we will take to mitigate the risk of in-custody incidents. — Sheriff Joe Kriete
According to the sheriff’s office, on December 31, corrections deputies went to check on 31-year-old Richard Lambert, because he didn’t show up for breakfast.
RELATED: Inmate who died at Grant County Jail identified.
Deputies found Lambert in bed, unconscious and not breathing.
Lambert, from Moses Lake, was booked into the Grant County Sheriff’s Office on December 27 for second-degree trespassing and obstructing law enforcement in connection with an MLPD investigation.
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