Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Lawyers for the family of a Chinese immigrant who died in custody at the Wyatt Correctional Facility said Friday it looks like they will not have to wait six months to begin gathering information for the family's lawsuit against the jail.

Previously the family had agreed to wait six months to take depositions of possible witnesses and seek documents in the death of Hiu Lui "Jason' Ng to avoid interfering with a U. S. Justice Department criminal investigation into Ng's in-custody death last August.

John J. McConnell, Jr., the lawyer for the family, said after a conference this week with Wyatt lawyers and federal prosecutors, the federal authorities agreed that the family is seeking information in some areas that don't affect the criminal probe.

McConnell said the family can start seeking pretrial documentation in those areas, while avoiding the ones involving the criminal case.

Ng's death has been investigated by three different parties and each has found that jail officials ignored Ng's pleas for help in the days before his death. Among the incidents the lawsuit cites is that Wyatt staffers allegedly dragged and loaded Ng onto a bus for a one-day trip to Hartford. At the time, Ng was suffering from terminal liver cancer and was unable to walk because of a fractured spine.

Ng died from liver cancer and a fractured spine a few days after that incident. His lawyers allege that the spinal fracture was caused by his treatment while in the jail.

 Tags  immigration

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