Lamar Johnson
Lamar Johnson, 27, grew up in Baton Rouge, studied art school in Atlanta, worked as a videographer, and had a young daughter; his mother remembered him as someone who always took people under his wing. He was held at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison in May 2015, and was found hanging in his cell four days after being taken into the jail. He was put on life support and died about ten days later at a hospital. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office said there was no evidence he had communicated suicidal thoughts, while his mother, Linda Franks, said he had no history of mental illness and that his suicidal statements went unaddressed by jail staff, and the family and an expert witness in a lawsuit say health care failures and ignored warnings contributed to his death.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The sheriff's office says there was no evidence he had communicated suicidal thoughts, while his mother Linda Franks says he had no suicidal thoughts before jail and that his suicidal statements went unaddressed by staff, and a lawsuit expert says health care failures and ignored warnings contributed to his death.
Reported by: East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Linda Franks, his mother (family or their lawyers); his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family filed a lawsuit over his death at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison in 2015.