(AP) — An inmate has died at a hospital after succumbing to illness in a Mississippi prison, the state Department of Corrections said.
Greene County Coroner Ladd Pulliam told the Clarion Ledger that he doesn’t believe Rodney Brown’s death was caused by the new coronavirus. His death didn’t appear to be suspicious, but an autopsy would be conducted to determine the cause, officials said.
Brown, 60, was pronounced dead Saturday morning at Greene County Hospital in Leakesville, news outlets reported. He had a history of medical issues, officials said.
Brown was about 12 years into a 60-year sentence for driving under the influence and mayhem after pleading guilty to causing a crash that killed two members of the Alaska National Guard in 2006.
Dozens of inmate deaths in Mississippi prisons have been reported since late December. The state prison system is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department over several inmates who were killed or injured during outbursts of violence in late December and early January.