Between Policy and Compassion: A Family Asks Sheriff Honsal to Allow Them to Donate Their Son’s Organs Amid Legal Roadblocks

Eric Matilton

Organ donation, while widely applauded as a selfless gift to others, is a delicate balance of time, grief, and the legal system. At St. Joseph’s Hospital in Eureka, Eric Matilton’s family sits beside their son whose body is being kept alive by machines, while a Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy is stationed outside his room; their son’s body, and organs, in the custody of the correctional facility where the 38-year-old Hoopa Tribal member hung himself thirteen days ago.

Though Eric’s parents, Clyde and Jeanine, can choose to withdraw life sustaining care that is keeping his body alive, a Humboldt County policy prevents the family from donating his organs. A policy that Clyde and Jeanine do not understand, and they say, is unnecessary.

“Our son …is on life support and has injuries declared non-survivable. We are growing worried that we will not be able to fulfill our son’s wish to become an organ donor,” the parents wrote in a Facebook post shared by a relative to the Hoopa Community page. “We are asking for your help to read and share this information as we are unable to fulfill our son’s wish of organ donation and fear additional wasted time will lead to needless loss of useable organs for lifesaving transplants.”

In an interview with Redheaded Blackbelt, Clyde Matilton said he and his wife were in the Bay Area on November 18 when they received a phone call from the Humboldt County Correctional Facility stating that Eric had suffered a medical emergency and his injuries were non-survivable. Clyde and Jeanine immediately headed to be beside their son.

Eric had been incarcerated since November 3, arrested on charges of elder abuse, trespassing, brandishing a weapon other than a firearm, and for violation of parole. Humboldt County Sheriff, William Honsal, in an email to Redheaded Blackbelt, stated, “Eric was an inmate in the County Jail awaiting a trial.  Eric is now brain dead as a result of an incident that occurred last week inside his jail cell.”

The incident referred to is reportedly an apparent hanging though an investigation into the matter is ongoing, not an uncommon occurrence within correctional facilities across the United States.

An article in the San Diego Union Tribune in October 2021, citing a study by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, stated, “Suicide has long been a leading cause of death in U.S. jails, followed by heart disease. Experts say that the shock of incarceration and the myriad issues that land people in jail — including mental illness and substance abuse — drive people to take their own lives.”

Eric had registered to be an organ donor though his death while in jail and Humboldt County policy, is stopping his parents from honoring their son’s wishes. “You know, I have different feelings about [organ donation], but Eric wanted this and I know how it feels to have a son die — it’s not a good feeling. And if that can help somebody else from going through that, I’d like to do this,” Eric’s father said.

Clyde and Jeanine say they’ve been told that organ donation eligibility criteria are met by fewer than 1% of deaths or non-survivable injuries, elevating the significance of Eric’s wish. “With every passing minute, the potential for organ donation lessens,” they shared.

Currently, there are four potential recipients waiting for Eric’s organ donation, including a heart transplant match in Los Angeles, and the potential for countless more. However, due to the ongoing investigation into Eric’s in-custody death, Sheriff Honsal says county policy prevents organ donation.

In his email response to Redheaded Blackbelt, Honsal stated:

“The Case is currently under investigation to determine cause and manner of death.   Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and all County Law Enforcement Agencies have signed an agreement to have all in custody deaths be investigated by the County’s Critical Incident Response Team.   This protocol requires that every in custody death has to be fully investigated which includes a forensic autopsy, by our contract pathologist.  A forensic autopsy will examine the entire body / organs to make a final determination of the cause of death.”

However, Eric’s parents insist that an autopsy can be performed while also allowing their son’s organs procured for donation. While organ donation from deceased individuals involved in investigations is relatively common, the fact that Eric was incarcerated at the time of his death has allowed the county final say in the matter of organ donation. “It’s not just affected us but it’s gonna affect the people that are waiting …for organs …and their families. [If] they die while they’re waiting, there’s [going to be] another family that’s going to be going through exactly what we’re going through right now,” Jeanine said.

Since the first successful organ transplant almost seventy years ago, state and federal agencies have worked to put parameters on organ donation to regulate the procurement and distribution of organs. As many die waiting for an organ transplant, lawmakers have continued to pass bills to limit the barriers for organ donation and to encourage coroners to work with organ procurement organizations, some organizations working directly with county morgues, leading to increased organ donation.

Though the increase in organ donation is beneficial to those seeking transplant, some coroners have stated that organ donation has hindered death investigations. A 2019 L.A. Times piece stated that organ procurement complicated over twenty-four death investigations in Los Angeles County; a complication Sheriff Honsal would like to avoid. He explained, “This protocol is in place to ensure a transparent, evidence based investigation is completed and sent to the District Attorney for review.  The DA will ensure that an independent authority will review all facts and evidence in this investigation to conclude if there is any criminal liability.”

However, for the Matiltons, the investigation into Eric’s apparent hanging does not trump the lives he could save through organ donation. “It’s [Eric’s] ultimate gift to those who need it,” Jeanine stated.

Eric’s life, they say, was much more than his mistakes, or even his death. “He was our son, he was a dad, he was an uncle, he was a brother, he was a cousin — He was a family guy. That’s what we would like people to know and allow him to give his organs because that was his choice. That was his right,” his mother said.

As Clyde and Jeanine watch the minutes tick by while they stand vigil with their son’s body in the ICU, Eric’s body and organs are slowly deteriorating along with the Matiltons’ chance of fulfilling their son’s wishes of organ donation. “Time’s running out,” Clyde stated.

The Matiltons requests for a conversation with Sheriff Honsal continue to be denied, they claim.  “We …have made no progress with Sheriff Honsal ’bout even getting any kind of communication outside of email saying ‘no’, citing his policy, and that there’s no need …for any other follow up,” they said.

The family sought help from the Hoopa Tribal Chairman, hoping he’d be able to further the discussion with Sheriff Honsal. “[The chairman is] just trying to try to open the door for some communication and asking why, because this system is setup to work. …It works all the time, as far as organ donation and doing the autopsy, I mean, it’s common practice everywhere, and just why won’t it work this time?” Clyde questioned.

Not unfeeling, Sheriff Honsal wrote, “My heart goes out to the family of Eric Matilton.” The answers they seek though, likely lies in county policy. “I understand the family would like a different outcome, unfortunately, when a death occurs inside a jail facility we have to follow our policies and procedures to ensure a transparent and thorough investigation is completed,” the sheriff stated.

But, Eric’s parents say they want to hear that straight from Sheriff Honsal themselves, wanting answers to why the county won’t allow an autopsy and organ procurement to happen simultaneously, turning their son’s death into a gift of life for others.

Clyde and Jeanine Matilton have asked their community to join them in asking Sheriff Honsal to allow Eric Matilton’s wish to be an organ donor.

In a message sent to Redheaded Blackbelt, the grieving parents made a plea to Sheriff Honsal:

“Please let us move forward, We want to fulfill our sons last unselfish act of organ donation, not only to to find comfort, but to know that other families will get the time to love their families the way my son loved all of us. This quote says it all…“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” -John Wooden”

 

UPDATE: Sheriff Honsal Finds Way to Honor Organ Donors Wishes