Jose Martin Vega
Jose Martin Vega, 35, was held at the federal Administrative Maximum prison near Florence, Colorado, and his family called him Martin. He was found hanged in his cell in the control unit on May 1, 2010, and the Fremont County Coroner's Office has classed the death as a suicide. The deputy coroner said she could not examine the scene because it had been cleaned up before she arrived. His brother Raymond Vega's wrongful death lawsuit says prison officials were deliberately indifferent to his serious mental illness and kept him in restraints for long periods, and the federal government has moved to dismiss the case.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The Fremont County Coroner's Office ruled it a suicide by hanging, but Vega's brother Raymond's wrongful death suit alleges prison officials were deliberately indifferent to his serious mental illness and kept him in restraints for long periods.
Reported by: Fremont County Coroner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Fremont County Deputy Coroner Carlette Brocious (medical examiner or coroner); Raymond Vega's wrongful death suit (family or their lawyers); Vega's family civil-rights lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His brother Raymond Vega filed a wrongful death suit against federal prison officials over his death at ADX Florence, alleging deliberate indifference to his serious mental illness, and the federal government has moved to dismiss the case, with no settlement or award reported.