Settlement Reached in Virginia Jail Suicide Case

A settlement of $1.75 million has been reached in a civil lawsuit involving the suicide of an inmate at a Virginia jail. The inmate, Christopher Lapp, took his own life after being denied his antipsychotic medication at the Alexandria jail. The settlement was accepted by Lapp's family from a psychiatrist who was the subject of the lawsuit. Lapp, a 62-year-old man with a history of mental health issues, was awaiting sentencing for a bank robbery when he died. The lawsuit alleged that the psychiatrist discontinued Lapp's medication against his will. The settlement does not include an admission of guilt or liability. Lapp's tragic death has brought attention to the inadequate mental health care in the prison system. He was a highly educated man with a successful career and a wealthy lifestyle. The circumstances of his suicide have raised concerns about the treatment of mentally ill inmates and the responsibility of medical personnel in correctional facilities.