Inmate Suicide At Ione Prison Prompts Federal Lawsuit

(AP) - A federal lawsuit is accusing California's correctional system of failing to prevent an inmate's suicide.

The Sacramento Bee reports that Daniel Lee Wright killed himself in Mule Creek State Prison, located near Ione, in November 2014. According to the lawsuit, Wright had a history of mental illness and suicide attempts, but was not on suicide watch at the time of his death.

The civil rights suit filed in Sacramento on behalf of Wright's children is seeking damages for "deliberate indifference" to Wright's medical needs.

Corrections officials declined to comment.

Mule Creek came under criticism earlier this month in an audit of suicide prevention practices at 18 state prisons. It was described in the report as having suicide-prevention policies that are "problematic."