Virginia – $60 million lawsuit filed against Portsmouth jail

A $60 million wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against officers at the Portsmouth jail in Virginia by the family of a man who died from a heart failure due to excessive weight loss. The complaint claims that jail officials and health-care providers physically abused and starved inmate Jamycheal Mitchell, who was incarcerated in April 2015 for stealing from a convenience store. After being in jail for 3 months, Mitchell, who also suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, had lost 46 pounds and was found dead in his cell. Mitchell had twice been ordered by a judge to be transferred to a state mental hospital, but never was due to clerical errors.