BEMIDJI -- Authorities have determined the cause of death for Hardel Sherrell, who died in the Beltrami County Jail on Sept. 2, was pneumonia.
Sherrell, 27, of Apple Valley collapsed in the Beltrami County Jail from what the Sheriff鈥檚 Office initially described as an 鈥渦nknown medical condition.鈥� Life saving efforts were unsuccessful.
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The Bemidji Police Department investigated the incident and released the cause of death Tuesday. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner鈥檚 Office and the Beltrami County Coroner鈥檚 Office also assisted with the investigation.
The family of Sherrell has retained counsel, according to attorney Jason Hiveley, who is representing Beltrami County in the case. A lawsuit was not filed as of Tuesday.
Hiveley said he couldn鈥檛 comment on Sherrell鈥檚 death because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and because the case is still under an internal investigation.
Hiveley said the family of Sherrell has requested copies of the records regarding the situation and that the county is reviewing and preparing materials for a 鈥減ossible civil rights case.鈥�
Hiveley works for the Iverson Reuvers Condon law firm in Bloomington.
