An Allegheny County jail inmate has died.
Timothy Pauley, 34, of Weirton, W. Va. had attempted suicide on Sunday and was found unresponsive in his cell.
Pauley was transported to UPMC Mercy Hospital where he died Thursday afternoon. The county medical examiner has not yet issued a cause of death.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Pauley was facing a homicide charge in the December death of 48-year-old Thomas Garner.
Mr. Pauley, of Moon, said he swung a knife after Mr. Garner opened fire, the complaint said. Mr. Garner shot him when Mr. Pauley declined an overture for a paid sexual act, Mr. Pauley told investigators.
The Allegheny County Police are investigating Pauley’s death, and the jail will conduct its own internal investigation.
Pauley is the second inmate to die this year. In January, 55-year-old Edward Davis died of a pulmonary embolism – a blood clot in the lungs – after being transported from the jail to UPMC Mercy. The medical examiner ruled that he died of natural causes.
Seven inmates died at the jail in 2014, which was twice the national average. At the time, inmate advocates argued that the health care services, provided by private firm Corizon, were inadequate. In May 2015, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced he would not renew Corizon’s contract, and Allegheny Health Network took over inmate health care in August of that year.
People in crisis can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
