MOUNT OLIVE, W.Va. — The Friday death of Mount Olive State Prison inmate David Munday remained under investigation Monday.
“The investigation continues,” said Larry Messina, communications director for the state Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. “We’re not entirely sure what prompted inmate Munday to assault the counselor and then other staff who responded including the correctional officer.”
Messina said Munday assaulted a corrections worker counselor at the maximum security prison in Fayette County and when other workers came to her aid he remained combative. Messina said he was then subdued and taken in for a medical evaluation. He was placed in a chair restraint. It was then that he began having some kind of medical episode and died.
At this time, investigators are not sure what caused the medical event. Messina does not believe any officers acted improperly during the incident, and said those on-scene attempted to revive him.
“Every indication is that the response was proper,” he said.
Messina also cited the difficulties that correctional officers deal with on a daily basis.
“That underscores the challenges–the dangers–that these folks face every day trying to keep us safe,” he said.
The ongoing investigation will seek to discover what prompted Munday to attack the counselor, if the situation was properly handled, and what exactly led to Munday’s death. The investigation will include an autopsy and a toxicology report.