By Denny Walsh, Sacramento Bee

Lawrence “Jake” Spies Jr. had a long history of depression, hospitalizations for mental illness and failed suicide attempts.

Yet, he hanged himself while an inmate at the El Dorado County jail in Placerville and nobody noticed for several hours, according to a wrongful death complaint filed last week on behalf of his parents in Sacramento federal court.

The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages as compensation for alleged deliberate indifference to serious medical needs; wrongful death; professional negligence; medical malpractice; and failure on the part of the county and its medical provider to supervise, investigate and discipline those responsible for Spies’ death. The suit names several defendants including the county and California Forensic Medical Group.

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