Four suspected suicides have taken place at the D.C.jail since Nov. 2012, causing officials to revamp policies. Jail director Thomas N. Faust's proposed measure is to give prisoners cellmates, citing that it would be harder to commit suicide with a cellmate present.
On Monday, 53-year-old Mike Johnson was found hanging in his cell. According to the Washington Post, Johnson had been charged with counts of sexual abuse. Back in June, 42-yeard-old Walter Calloway took his life in the same fashion. Calloway had been charged with sexual abuse of a child. Just one week prior, 58-year-old Paul Mannina—charged with sexually assaulting a co-worker—was discovered in his cell with his throat slit. Law enforcement officials believe he used a razor to commit suicide.
Last November, 22-year-old Michael English was also found hanging in his cell. English, who was charged for stabbing a friend, had long struggled with mental illness.
NBC Washington says that Johnson's death comes one month after Faust announced his office was creating a task force to "review mental health assessments and screenings."
[via Washington Post and NBC Washington]
