James Macaulay
James Macaulay, 45, of Landisville, was a husband, and his wife is now pursuing a federal lawsuit over his death. He died on March 21, 2019, while in the custody of Dauphin County Prison in Harrisburg. County officials said he died by hanging himself with a sheet in his cell, and prison officials recorded the death as a suicide. His wife's lawsuit against the county alleges that staff were deliberately indifferent to a known suicide risk, did not monitor him as ordered, and altered records to hide a monitoring lapse.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). Prison officials recorded the death as a suicide, while his wife's federal lawsuit alleges staff ignored a known suicide risk, did not monitor him as ordered, and altered records to hide a monitoring lapse.
Reported by: Dauphin County Prison officials (the agency that held him); his wife's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His wife, Linda Macauley, sued Dauphin County in federal court alleging staff were deliberately indifferent to a known suicide risk and altered records to hide a monitoring lapse.