BUTTE — An inmate in the Butte-Silver Bow Detention Center has died in what officials suspect was from self-inflicted cuts he sustained while in custody in a holding cell at the overcrowded facility.
The inmate was discovered about 7 a.m. Tuesday unconscious and not breathing. Though lifesaving techniques were tried by staff, the inmate was pronounced dead at St. James HealthCare. The body was taken to the Montana Crime Lab in Missoula where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
This incident is being reviewed by the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation.
The jail has been scrutinized lately for being overcrowded, with an inmate population that is more than double what it was originally intended to hold. The jail is also understaffed, and inmates have complained about deplorable conditions in the facility due to the overcrowding.
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Sheriff Ed Lester said he does not believe overcrowding is a factor in this recent death.
In a statement, the sheriff said, “I do not believe the overcrowding played a role in the incident. The inmate was in a cell with one other inmate. The cell he was in was in the booking area and not one of the larger cell blocks.”
However, Butte Attorney Charles McIntosh said overcrowded detention centers can often lead to tragedies like this one in Butte.
“It’s really sad, it is. And regardless of the facility and its purpose, when there’s overcrowding it’s incredibly difficult for the employees to have an understanding of what’s going on and try to keep track of everything. And I hope that’s not what happened here, but I am fearful of that because I know the jailers really have their hands full right now,” said McIntosh.
The family of the victim has been notified, but the sheriff has not released the identity of the victim as of Tuesday evening.
