James Rider
James Rider, 31, was a father of three from Wasilla who, his family says, had recently taken steps toward sobriety for himself and his children. His brother Mike Cox remembers him as funny and generous, someone who loved to hunt, fish and ride four-wheelers. He died by hanging with bedsheets in a cell at the Mat-Su Pretrial facility in Palmer in September 2022, and the State Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death a suicide. His family says he told staff he was having suicidal thoughts and asked for mental health help, and that after being on suicide precautions he was moved into a cell alone; they point to an autopsy account that cell checks were not made every 20 minutes, while the Department of Corrections said its staff followed procedure with checks every half hour. The state agreed to pay $500,000 to settle the family's lawsuit without admitting fault.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The State Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death a suicide by hanging, while his family disputes how the department supervised him, saying he was placed alone in a cell after suicide precautions and cell checks were not done every 20 minutes; the Department of Corrections says it followed its procedures with half-hourly visual checks.
Reported by: State Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Department of Corrections (the agency that held him); his family.
Lawsuit: His family sued the Alaska Department of Corrections over his death, and the state agreed to pay $500,000 without admitting fault.
News reports (10)
- A brother seeks answers over Alaska deaths in custody
- Administration says Corrections deaths not ‘unusual,’ ACLU says it's deflecting responsibility
- Alaska’s rising inmate death rate has family members demanding answers
- The unseen driver of Alaska’s record jail deaths: Suicide
- ACLU sues Dept. of Corrections for wrongful death
- Republican lawmakers abruptly cancel hearing on Alaska prison deaths over legal concerns
- Alaska Department of Corrections reports record-tying 18 deaths in custody this year
- Alaska corrections department settles inmate death lawsuit for $500,000
- Family speaks out after $500K prison death payout, state admits no fault
- DOC pays $500K for 2022 inmate’s death, but claims no fault or liability