Oklahoma City, OK — A staff member at the Oklahoma County Detention Center (OCDC) has been fired and arrested following the death of inmate Clinton Pike, who was killed during a jail altercation on April 25.
The employee, Debbie Brinkley, was initially charged with willful neglect to perform duty, but authorities have since upgraded her charge to second-degree manslaughter, a felony offense. She has been released on a $15,000 bond.
According to investigators, Brinkley failed to respond to multiple phone calls from a nearby inmate who reported hearing signs of an assault. While four calls were made, Brinkley only answered two — and in both cases, she failed to notify security staff.
Pike, 40, was later discovered dead during a routine check by another officer. His cellmate, Orenzo Byrd, has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal assault.
OCDC CEO Paul Timmons emphasized that the jail will not tolerate negligence that endangers lives, stating that staff will be held accountable for any failure to meet security responsibilities.
