COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) has released new details about the hours leading up to Greg Leon's death after he was found unresponsive in his cell on Friday.
The department said Leon, convicted of murder just days earlier, was moved into a housing unit on Wednesday where he had two other cellmates. However, according to information provided by SCDC, Leon was alone when he was found unresponsive, as one had been moved out on Thursday and another was performing tasks in the living unit.
According to SCDC, inmates in the Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center are checked twice an hour, and in this process, officers must personally observe each inmate. The department said these checks aren't done on a strictly scheduled basis to ensure they aren't predictable. In general, they are done within a 40-minute timeframe. SCDC said checks go from one end of the living area and move throughout - taking about 20 minutes to complete.
From 11:06 a.m. to when he was found unresponsive at 12:36 p.m., SCDC reports that officers had performed seven checks - including an institution-wide count and when he was brought lunch.
Department records show the last check began about 20 minutes beforehand and ended a minute before Leon was found unresponsive at 12:36 p.m.
Leon was in the midst of the reception and evaluation process when he was found, hospitalized and eventually died on Friday. According to SCDC, the process includes evaluating medical issues, mental health, education, substance abuse, job skills, goals and other metrics.
No foul play is suspected in his death.