McDougal Collapsed While In Detention

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, March 10) -- Whitewater figure Jim McDougal was being held in administrative detention Sunday when he collapsed during an apparent heart attack, according to a federal Bureau of Prisons spokesman.

Chief Spokesman Todd Craig says McDougal was separated from other prisoners Sunday for refusing to give a urine sample for a routine drug test.

McDougal, President Bill Clinton's former business partner in Arkansas and a cooperating witness in the Whitewater investigation, died at 12:01 p.m. CT at John Peter Smith Hospital. He will be buried Friday in Arkadelphia, Ark.

He arrived at the hospital in full cardiac arrest at 11:38 a.m. CT, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance from the Bureau of Prisons medical facility in Fort Worth.

Craig says McDougal did not resist his punishment. He did not appear to be in any distress before he was placed in his cell. Placement in so-called "administrative detention" is standard punishment in federal prisons for refusing to participate in drug testing.

"All inmates are afforded proper medical care while in administrative detention," Craig told CNN. "This type of punishment occurs a lot. And they all receive proper medical care and supervision."

Craig says prisoners in administrative detention are checked every 30 minutes. McDougal appeared fine through his final check at 10:30 a.m. CT. Twenty-five minutes later, he was observed "in distress," Craig said.

Administrative detention is not the same as solitary confinement. "Although it's similar because prisoners are separated," says Craig, "it's more secure housing."

Dr. Noland Hagood, McDougal's physician, said Monday night he was not concerned that McDougal had been placed in solitary confinement. "I wouldn't think twice about him being alone" in a solitary situation "unless he was having some kind of acute medical problem," Hagood said.

McDougal suffered from several longterm health problems, including heart disease and blocked arteries, and was taking nitroglycerine, according to Hagood.

Preliminary results from Monday's autopsy conducted by the Tarrant County, Texas, Medical Examiner's Office listed the cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest, or a heart attack.

McDougal was 57 years old.

He was serving a three-year sentence for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and wire, bank and mail fraud. Before his conviction, McDougal did not cooperate with Whitewater independent counsel Ken Starr and said he was innocent.

After being convicted on 18 felony counts, McDougal began to cooperate with Starr's investigation in August 1996 in exchange for a reduced prison sentence. Initially facing 84 years, he was sentenced to a three-year term and would have been released September 4, 1999.

Tuesday March 10, 1998

• Willey Appears Before Grand Jury
• Reno Gets 60-Day Extension For Herman Probe
• Rep. McCollum Ripped For Ties To Banking Industry
• White House Scandal At A Glance
• Reporter Apologizes For Clinton Sex Article
• McDougal Collapsed While In Detention