RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia attorney general is asking the Justice Department to investigate a regional jail after the deaths of two inmates.
Mark Herring says Friday in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch that he wants a "trusted, independent voice" on whether inmates are receiving proper and timely medical care at Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth.
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The jail is run by a local board, and medical service is provided by a contractor.
Henry Stewart filled out an emergency grievance form at the jail Aug. 4 saying he had blacked out twice in less than 24 hours and couldn't hold down food or water. The 60-year-old died two days later.
In August 2015, 24-year-old Jamycheal Mitchell died in the jail. A lawsuit by Mitchell's family alleges correctional officials abused him.