A 24-year-old inmate at a West Virginia jail, facing scrutiny over inmate deaths and poor living conditions, was found unresponsive in his cell by correctional officers at Southern Regional Jail.
This undated photograph shows the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia. An inmate at West Virginia’s Southern Regional Jail was pronounced dead Friday morning, December 22, 2023, according to officials. (Source: AP Photo/Rick Barbero/The Register-Herald, File)
Inmate Death Inside His Cell
Amidst ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding inmate deaths and allegations of poor living conditions at a West Virginia jail, a 24-year-old inmate was found lifeless in his cell at Southern Regional Jail. Correctional officers attempted to administer life-saving measures, but the man was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The identity of the deceased inmate has not been disclosed, and authorities have not provided additional details about the incident. In response, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Criminal Investigation Division, along with the West Virginia State Police, has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the inmate’s death.
This tragic event follows recent indictments of several former correctional officers from the same jail who were implicated in the 2022 death of another inmate. These officers were charged with beating the incarcerated individual while he was handcuffed and restrained in an interview room and later a jail cell. The U.S. Department of Justice also accused them of attempting to cover up their actions. Before this, two West Virginia corrections officers pleaded guilty to a felony conspiracy charge related to the fatal beating of a pretrial detainee, Quantez Burks, who died less than a day after being booked into Southern Regional Jail.
Adding to the concerns, the state of West Virginia recently agreed to a $4 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by inmates describing inhumane conditions at the jail. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of current and former inmates, outlined problems such as inadequate access to water and food, overcrowding, and a failure to intervene in fights until injuries occurred. The combination of these incidents and legal actions underscores broader challenges in the correctional system and raises questions about the overall safety and well-being of inmates within the state’s jails.
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