Other suicides included Darryl Woody, 44, on Jan. 3, 2011, and Eamon McGinn, 32, on Jan. 3, 2010. Woody’s death “may have been prevented but for the grossly inadequate psychiatric care provided him in the jail and the hospital, and the lack of appropriate supervision by the Nassau University Medical Center,” stated a report by the New York State Commission of Correction, which also described McGinn’s suicide as “a preventable death with inadequate provision of mental and medical health care.”

“The recent deaths represent the latest chapter in a long saga of mistreatment and neglect at the jail,” said NYCLU Senior Staff Attorney Corey Stoughton, lead counsel in the union’s suit. “For more than 30 years, the county has failed to meet its legal and moral obligations to treat inmates humanely. Strong, independent oversight can help end this troubling history and finally ensure that inmates receive the basic medical care they need.”

In less than two years, the NYCLU has received more than 200 complaints from inmates, including failure to provide necessary medications, failure to treat chronic and life-threatening conditions, mistreatment of those with disabilities and a lack of mental health services.

According to the NYCLU lawsuit, Marone was forced to wait weeks after requesting a sick call for an ear infection. “When he finally was seen, the doctor provided him with ineffective medication without examining his infected ear,” the suit states. Marone was also given the incorrect prescription medication at least once at NCCC, which caused him to hit his head and lose consciousness, which necessitated hospitalization, the suit claims.

“People shouldn’t be forced to live in constant pain because the county won’t provide the basic medical care,” said Marone. “I hope this lawsuit marks the beginning of the end of the county’s cruel indifference toward people housed in the jail.”

Neither Nassau County Sheriff Michael Sposato nor Brian Nevins, spokesman for County Executive Ed Mangano, responded to requests for comments.