NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - The family of a mentally ill man who died in a Virginia jail cell is suing several officials and health-care providers.
The complaint was filed Tuesday in federal court in Norfolk. It seeks $60 million in damages.
Jamycheal Mitchell was jailed in Portsmouth, about 3 miles southwest of Norfolk, in April 2015 after allegedly stealing $5 worth of snacks from a store. The 24-year-old Mitchell was found dead in his cell three months later after losing 46 pounds. A medical examiner said Mitchell lost so much weight that his heart stopped.
State investigators have said Mitchell was supposed to be transferred to a state mental hospital, but it never happened because of clerical errors.
Lawyers for the jail and the company that provides its health care did not immediately return telephone messages.
