The family of a West Union man is suing Buchanan County, the sheriff, the jail administrator, two correctional officers, and county supervisors after the man committed suicide while in custody, according to the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. 19 year old Jaden Johnson was allegedly involved in stealing a vehicle in Independence and leading law enforcement on a chase. In a phone conversation with a friend after his arrest he was reportedly crying and expressing thoughts of suicide. The friend alerted jail staff who said they would keep an eye on him. Johnson was kept in general population and went unchecked on for two hours, during which he hung himself with an extra pair of jail-issued pants. Johnson’s family says jail staff did not follow state rules and county policies that mandate prisoners be personally checked on every hour and those with mental or medical conditions to be checked on every 30 minutes. The jail was found in violation of that rule both before and after Johnson’s death.
