An inmate was found dead Thursday afternoon in the city jail.
Norfolk sheriff’s deputies were passing out dinner to inmates about 4:30 p.m. when they discovered 24-year-old Philemon Stephen Vinson, of Chesapeake, unresponsive, according to the sheriff’s office. They attempted life-saving measures but were unsuccessful, pronouncing the man dead at the scene.
Deputies reviewed video footage and do not suspect foul play. The cause of death has not yet been determined. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Jamie Bastas declined to comment, due to HIPPA regulations, on any medical conditions Vinson may have had.
Bastas added that investigators have not ruled out suicide.
Vinson was taken into custody Aug. 14 on a charge of failing to appear, the sheriff’s office said, and had a court date Aug. 15, during which he was denied bond.
A death of an inmate triggers an investigation by the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office Professional Standards Division “to ensure all policies and procedures were followed by Norfolk Sheriff’s Office personnel,” the sheriff’s office said. The Norfolk Police Department will conduct the investigation into the man’s death.
The jail has made mental health coordinators available to inmates who may have been affected by Vinson’s death. The deputies who responded have access to support from the sheriff’s office’s Critical Incident Stress Management Team.
Gavin Stone, gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com
