Jail in Michigan sued for death of suicidal inmate

Wayne County Jail the focus of $10 million lawsuit after inmate Taylor Barnes hangs himself

FARMINGTON HILS, Mich. – The Wayne County Jail is the focus of a $10 million lawsuit after the hanging death of a inmate in April.

Taylor Barnes was serving time for a criminal offense when he found dead in his cell.

Attorney Arnold Reed says Barnes had a long history of suicidal tendencies while incarcerated and the jail should have placed him on suicide watch.

Reed says instead of placing Barnes on a watch, the inmate was placed back into general population with out any counseling or a psychiatric evaluation.

Barnes killed himself 16 days later.

Reed says Barnes was telling anyone who would listen that he could not stomach another long prison term and he was going home to see his deceased father soon.