RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Advocates are urging federal officials to investigate the death of a 24-year-old mentally ill inmate at a Virginia jail.
Representatives from the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Virginia, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and other groups sent a letter to the U.S. Justice Department on Monday calling for an investigation into Jamycheal Mitchell's death.
Mitchell died in a jail cell last August after losing so much weight his heart stopped. His family last month filed a $60 million wrongful death lawsuit against several jail officials and health care providers.
Advocates said in the letter that Mitchell's death has revealed "serious and widespread deficiencies" in how Virginia cares for mentally ill inmates. They say they fear similar deaths are likely if the problems aren't immediately fixed.
