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Oklahoma inmate found dead over the weekend was suing for ‘Baby Shark’ claim

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma inmate was found dead in his cell over the weekend. He was involved in a lawsuit against Oklahoma County, where he claimed other inmates and him were tortured by jail employees with the song “Baby Shark” for hours in 2019.

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According to The Associated Press, John Basco, 48, was found unresponsive Sunday morning in his cell.

Oklahoma County Detention Center in a news release said that Basco was discovered when detention officers were doing site checks. The officer called for medical and assistance from other officers and began performing lifesaving efforts. Emergency responders arrived and continued to try to resuscitate him. Basco was pronounced dead just after 4 a.m.

The AP said that Basco’s death was the 14th death this year at the jail which has been facing criticism lately over inmate deaths, escapes and other incidents.

OCDC said his family has been notified. Basco was booked into the detention center on September 8.

Basco was booked for drug trafficking, according to the AP. He was also involved in a lawsuit with other inmates who are suing the county in federal court. Basco and the inmates were allegedly handcuffed to a wall and forced to listen to “Baby Shark” on repeat for hours on separate occasions in 2019. The AP said a retired lieutenant at the jail and two detention officers were fired in connection with the incident. All three of them are facing misdemeanor charges.

The AP said that Basco has a lengthy history of criminal convictions since the mid-1990s for drugs, property and firearms crimes. He was sentenced to a 10-year prison term for second-degree murder in 2000, but was released in 2007.

A jail spokesman Mark Opgrande told the AP that there were no obvious signs of foul play, but a drug overdose was possible. The cause of death will be determined by the state medical examiner’s office.

OCDC said the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations has been notified as well and will assist them in the investigation. The investigation is ongoing and no further information has been released.