James Legros Jr.
James S. Legros Jr., 29, had come from New Hampshire to Hugo, Oklahoma, to work for the Carson and Barnes Circus. He died on October 29, 2016, in his cell at the Choctaw County Jail, where the State Medical Examiner's Office said he hanged himself with a blanket that jail staff had given him. Sheriff Terry Park said a jailer checked on him every half hour because of his condition. His father, James Legros Sr., filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Choctaw County Board of County Commissioners, alleging that jailers ignored his obvious medical needs, violated state jail standards, and failed to place him on suicide watch.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The State Medical Examiner's Office ruled he hanged himself with a blanket jail staff gave him, while his family's wrongful death lawsuit says jailers ignored his obvious medical needs, violated state jail standards and failed to place him on suicide watch.
Reported by: State Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); his family's wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Sheriff Terry Park (the agency that held him).
Lawsuit: His family sued the Choctaw County Board of County Commissioners in a wrongful death lawsuit alleging jailers ignored his medical needs and failed to place him on suicide watch; no amount was reported and no court date had been set.