DECEMBER 18, 1997 SERVING THE COULEE REGION SINCE 1904
Hanging attempt prompts review
By BILL WHITE
Of the Tribune staff
An attempted hanging by a La Crosse County jail inmate Tuesday night - a week after another inmate hanged himself - has prompted the La Crosse County Board to consider changing the air vents in the new jail.
The board was to meet in closed session at 9 a.m. today to discuss possible litigation that may result because of the attempt by Atilla Hanson, 37, of 3827 Mormon Coulee Road, to hang himself in his jail cell about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The Finance and Personnel Committee of the hoard also will he asked to authorize the transfer of funds to pay for retrofitting the vents.
Jailer Steve Severson said in a report that Hanson was crying as sat on the hunk in his locked cell Block C at 11:25 p.m.
Severson said he was concerned about Hanson's well-being, so he checked on the prisoner a few moments later. He said that Hanson was standing on the toilet with a bed sheet tied firmly to the grille over an air vent on the wall and with the other end of the sheet tied as a noose around his neck.
When the jailer entered the cell, Hanson removed the noose, stepped down from the toilet seat and tried to hide a piece of paper that contained an apparent suicide note to his mother, Severson's report said.
Hanson, who would not disclose why he was so upset, was transferred to a medical cell where he could he observed. Severson said.
On Dec. 10. James R. Williams, 33, of La Crosse tied his T-shirt and socks together as a noose and hanged himself from a ventilation grill in his isolation cell in the lower level of the jail.

D-2 La Crosse Tribune, Thursday, March 5,1998 Hometown
Inmate suicide prevented again
By BILL WHITE
Of the Tribune staff

A La Crosse County Jail inmate was prevented from attempting suicide for the second time in three months Tuesday night, hours before building staff began installing new air ventilator grills in receiving cells.
Atilla Hanson, 37, was found standing in his cell in the receiving area at 11:55 p.m. with a torn bed sheet tied around his neck and the other end threaded through the ventilator grill high on the wall, Jail Capt. Larry Norris said Wednesday.
Anson, who attempted suicide the same way Dec.16, was taken to Franciscan Skemp Medical Center on an involuntary mental commitment order.
Norris said Hanson had not shown any signs of severe depression and was discovered by a jailer on a routine check of the lower level cells.
Hanson is serving a sentence for violations of a restraining order, filed in 1995 by Catherine West, the daughter of probation agent Jeanne West.
He also is awaiting trial in May on a charge of escape because he failed to return to the jail after being released for work in February 1996.  He was not arrested until August 1997 in Florida.
Norris said one new ventilator unit was installed Wednesday to determine the length of time required to replace all grills in the jail.
Replacement grills for the ventilators were authorized by the La Crosse County Board Dec. 18 at a cost of up to $180,000 because of Hanson's attempt and the suicide of James R. Williams, 33, on Dec. 10.
Williams tied his T-shirt and socks together as a noose and hanged himself from a ventilation grill in his isolation cell in the lower level of the jail.
Sheriff Karl Halverson told the board the cost of replacing the vents would be $40,000 for the lower level receiving area and $130,000 to $140,000 for the main jail on the upper two levels.
He said the current vent covers have narrow, horizontal bars across the mesh to prevent concealment of dangerous or potentially lethal objects or other contraband in the air ducts.  The new vents feature tiny, angled holes in a 1-inch solid metal face and are available only from a company called Safety Concepts Inc., he said.

Previous Page

Testimonials Page

Home Page