
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 20, 1994                   TAG: 9409300001
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE                                 LENGTH: Short

WOMAN SUES OVER SUICIDE

A woman has sued Henry County Sheriff Frank Cassell for $5 million because her son hanged himself by his belt while in jail.

Brian D. Young, 25, of Martinsville, died April 9 while he was being held overnight on a drunken-driving charge.

In a suit filed this week in Henry County Circuit Court, Ruth S. Young accused Cassell of ignoring ``an imminent risk of suicide'' and failing to take preventive measures, such as searching Young and removing anything he could use to hurt himself.

The suit alleged that Young was given a form to fill out when he was brought to the jail, and that he answered ``yes'' to the question, ``Do you have a mental or psychological problem?''

- Associated Press

by CNB