MANCI inmate found dead

A Mansfield Correctional Institution inmate was found dead June 2, but more than a month after the death officials have released few details.

JoEllen Smith, spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, said Friday, "I can confirm that there was a death at Mansfield Correctional Institution on June 2, 2023. The incident is under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol."

James Johnson, 51, originally of Columbus, had been incarcerated in the Ohio prison system since Oct. 2, 2020, according to the ODRC website. He was expected to be considered for parole on Oct. 19, 2023.

The News Journal made a public records request of the Ohio Highway Patrol public affairs office and Friday received the incident report and investigative notes saying that Johnson was found unresponsive in his cell at MANCI.

The patrol's heavily redacted report, dated 6:40 p.m. June 2, noted that Johnson's cellmate, whose name was not released, was being held in a holding cell after Johnson's death and the cell in question was being held as a crime scene. The entire housing unit at MANCI, housing unit 1C, was locked down, according to the report.

Johnson had been serving time for aggravated burglary, a felony of the first degree; felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and weapons under disability related to a crime committed in Franklin County, according to ODRC. The website lists Johnson's status as "RELEASED - death."

The Richland County Coroner's Office was notified of the death and Johnson was pronounced deceased at 4 p.m. June 2.

The highway patrol's report said a trooper responded to the Richland County Morgue where the inmate's body was transported.

The coroner's office is awaiting autopsy results from Montgomery County Medical Center.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @lwhitmir

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Very little information yet available on MANCI inmate's June 2 death