Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The widow of a Chinese immigrant who died in the custody of a Rhode Island detention center has requested that her lawsuit against the facility be put on hold because of a pending criminal investigation.

The request for a six-month stay was made Friday in documents filed in federal court.

Hiu Lui "Jason" Ng (pronounced HYEW' Lew Eng) of Queens, N.Y., died of liver cancer last August while in the custody of the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls. A federal investigation found that Ng was denied medical care, abused by staff and taunted at the facility.

Ng's widow and children have sued the facility and its operators. But they said Friday that the case should be postponed for six months until a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice is complete.

"Plaintiff does not wish in any way to interfere with the ability of the U.S government to independently investigate and prosecute any criminal charges that may arise as a result," lawyers for Ng's family wrote.

Wyatt has been in turmoil since Ng's death. Jail workers have been fired, board members have quit or been replaced and in December, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed all 153 of the facility's immigration detainees.

Wyatt spokesman Bill Fischer said he could not immediately comment on the request.

The original version of this story was posted at 5:03 p.m.

 Tags  Central Falls RI Hiu Lui Jason Ng

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