One man has been found dead in his jail cell, in Portsmouth, Virginia, after spending months behind bars for stealing a snickers, zebra cake and a bottle of Mountain Dew from a 7-Eleven store.
Jamycheal Mitchell stole food worth around $5, yet was kept behind bars for four months without bail.
The 24 year old was found dead by guards last Wednesday, and suffered from mental health issues, making the lack of bail all the more shocking.
WikiAccording to prison officials, his death is not being treated as suspicious, with an autopsy yet to be performed.
Mitchell’s family claim that he starved to death, after refusing meals and medication.
Judge Morton Whitlow had ruled that the troubled man was not fit to stand trial, and should be moved to a mental health facility in Williamsburg, yet after being told there were no vacancies, he returned to jail until his death on 19th August.
Mitchell’s aunt claimed he had lost 65lbs, and said:
He was just deteriorating so fast.
I kept calling the jail, but they said they couldn’t transfer him because there were no available beds.
So I called Eastern State, too, and people there said they didn’t know anything about the request or not having bed availability.
Court officials, the police department and the jail did not give a reason as to why he was denied the opportunity to make bail.
