BEAVER, W.Va. — A 30-year-old inmate took his own life at the Southern Regional Jail.
The man from Mercer County was found dead in his cell Friday. Jail officials are not releasing his name.
It’s the second death at SRJ this year. There were 13 deaths there last year sparking a controversy about jail staffing which have resulted in several lawsuits.
The death at the jail, which is located near Beckley, comes just before state lawmakers are once again scheduled to talk about the vacancy rate of jail workers across the state.
Legislative interim committee meetings begin Sunday at Marshall University. The Legislative Oversight Committee on Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority is scheduled to meet Tuesday morning.
A MetroNews story earlier this week said jail worker vacancies remain around 1,000 positions. The Eastern Regional Jail in Martinsburg has a 70 percent vacancy rate with eight other facilities at 40 percent or more.
Gov. Jim Justice said earlier this week his attempts to get the pay issue addressed have not been adopted by lawmakers.
“I twice have sent bills up in regard to locality pay for our corrections officers. We didn’t get it done,” Justice said during his Wednesday media briefing.
During a Wednesday appearance on MetroNews “Talkline”, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, said lawmakers will need guidance from the executive branch to address the staffing issue.
“There seems to be consensus around the conclusion that, at a minimum, a salary increase is needed there,” Hanshaw said. “But the broader issue that we’re tackling now is, is a greater structural change in order for how we staff those facilities.
The state Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation released a statement following the inmate suicide Friday:
The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation is committed to the safety, quality of life and well-being of those in the care of the legal system in our state. We empathize with the friends and families of those that have experienced the loss of a loved one that was placed in our care.