Many attendees of a rally at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, carried signs that protested conditions in prisons where inmates have been killed in violent clashes in recent weeks, Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. They called upon the administration to specifically close the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, where a number of deaths have occurred. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — An inmate at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman was pronounced dead Thursday, officials said.
The man, 42, wasn’t immediately identified but is at least the 27th Mississippi inmate to die since late December. His name would be released once family had been notified of the death, the Mississippi Department of Corrections said in a news release.
The inmate was found unresponsive in his cell Thursday afternoon, and was subsequently pronounced dead, according to the release. Officials said there were no signs of foul play.
Some of the recent deaths happened amid outbursts of violence, and health inspections have shown repeated problems with clogged toilets, broken sinks and moldy showers at Parchman.
The state prison system is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.
