Defendant, 73, dies while awaiting arraignment

A 73-year-old jail inmate collapsed and died in a Cape Girardeau County courtroom Monday afternoon while awaiting arraignment on felony charges he violated his probation by writing a bad check.

Daniel E. Stroder of Wappapello, Mo., was pronounced dead at Saint Francis Medical Center after emergency crews rushed him from the courthouse in Jackson by ambulance. Coroner John Clifton would not speculate Monday night as to what caused the man's death, except to say that an autopsy scheduled for today should answer that question.

Stroder was in court in front of Judge William Syler for violating probation, which Stroder was given when he pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in 2009. Syler, who has been a judge for more than 20 years, said he recalled an instance of a juror having a heart attack when he was a lawyer three decades ago, and she lived.

What Syler saw Monday, he said, was "unfortunate and sad."

Stroder apparently began to feel sick, said Sheriff John Jordan. Syler was preparing to furlough Stroder when he collapsed, he said. Jordan was out of town at a sheriff's convention Monday, but his understanding is that bailiffs rendered aid to Stroder.

"I'm sure they did everything they could do until the other medical personnel arrived," Jordan said.

Stroder was breathing on his own when he was taken out of the courthouse, he said.

Jordan also could not recall an inmate dying while in a courtroom.

"It's rare and it's an odd thing to happen," Jordan said. "But it happens."

Stroder had about 40 cases that have gone through the Missouri courts system, though the majority were civil litigation, such as breach of contract and failing to pay employment taxes.

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