By Mike Mooney
Idaho Falls Post Register
BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho — An investigation was launched Saturday into the death of an inmate at the Bonneville County Jail.
The inmate was identified as James Slate Dewitt, 47, of Idaho Falls.
When jail deputies found Dewitt around 5:50 a.m. Saturday, he was not breathing, according to a news release issued by Sheriff Paul Wilde.
""CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was administered until Idaho Falls paramedics determined that (Dewitt) was deceased,"" the news release said.
Authorities did not indicate whether Dewitt was found in his cell. Other details surrounding his death also were withheld Saturday.
Dewitt was arrested around 5 p.m. Friday on a probation violation, the news release said.
In November, according to records on file with the Idaho repository, Dewitt was found guilty of misdemeanor battery-domestic violence without a traumatic injury against a household member.
Dewitt was sentenced to 90 days in jail (89 days suspended). He received credit for one day served and was placed on supervised probation for two years.
The death of Dewitt was the first in-custody death reported at the Bonneville County Jail in the past three years.
A Tri-County Sheriff’s Association team was asked to investigate the incident. Additionally, an autopsy has been ordered, which is standard procedure for an in-custody death, the news release said.
Last month, a Madison County Jail inmate - Jared Bradley Jensen, 37, of Rexburg - apparently committed suicide, according to authorities.
Jensen was found dead in his cell Jan. 27. Preliminary information indicated Jensen apparently hanged himself from a bed sheet attached to his bunk.
His death was the second at the Rexburg jail within the past two years.
In February 2011, an inmate from the Boise area, Winnie Fay Ard, 53, was found hanging in her cell.
There have been no suicides or unnatural deaths reported at the Fremont or Jefferson county jails during the past three years.
Post Register reporter Ruth Brown contributed to this report.
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