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Died in jail or a lockup

Michael Jones Jr.

45 years old · died September 9, 2025 · Lackawanna County Prison, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Michael Jones Jr., 45, was from Wilkes-Barre and was held at Lackawanna County Prison in Scranton in September 2025. On September 9, 2025, he died after a physical altercation with another person held at the prison, and the county coroner ruled that blunt head trauma caused his death and classified it a homicide. The Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office says the altercation caused his injuries. The man charged in his death has said he acted in self-defense, and the prison has conducted a separate review of the staff response.

Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed). The coroner ruled the death a homicide from blunt head trauma after an attack by another detainee, and the district attorney's office agrees, but the other detainee's lawyer says he acted in self-defense after Jones made sexual comments, which is not a dispute over how Jones died.

Reported by: Lackawanna County Coroner Timothy Rowland (medical examiner or coroner); Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher (outside investigators); Lackawanna County Prison (the agency that held him).

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