Valley Street jail inmate dies at hospital; Superintendent said COVID-19 not to blame
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Nov. 9—A Valley Street jail inmate and an inmate at the New Hampshire State Prison died in unrelated incidents announced on Monday.
Nashua resident Randy Hall, 48, died Monday at the Elliot Hospital in Manchester, where he had been transferred five days earlier from the Valley Street jail, the jail announced Tuesday.
Also Tuesday, the New Hampshire Corrections Department announced the untimely death of a male prisoner. The system said more information would likely be released once is family was notified and an autopsy takes place.
The Valley Street jail inmate was was admitted to the hospital for "pre-existing medical concerns" on Nov. 3, according to a statement issued by the jail, which is operated by Hillsborough County.
The jail is experiencing on ongoing outbreak of COVID-19, but Superintendent Willie Scurry said Hall did not have the disease. He said he could not disclose Hall's medical issues.
"Inmate Hall was alert and talking prior to being transported to the hospital," Scurry said.
Scurry said he has notified county commissioners and is in the process of notifying the Hillsborough County Attorney and Hall's public defender.
Scurry said he knows of no investigation into the death and is unsure whether an autopsy will take place.
Hall had been at the jail since Sept. 2. He was arrested by Nashua police on a charge of second-degree assault, strangulation, and ordered jailed without bail.
A message left with his public defender was not immediately returned.
As of Nov. 2, state health officials reported that the outbreak of COVID-19 at the jail involved 136 inmates and 10 staff.
But Scurry said those numbers are cumulative and reach back to September, when the most recent outbreak started.
At present, five inmates have COVID-19, and no staff, he said.
Scurry said two units at the jail — 2A and 2B — are designated for COVID-19 isolation.
He said the disease is under control at the jail. The jail is following guidelines from federal and state health agencies.
He said all inmates are tested upon arrival. The state mobile vaccine clinic visited the jail on Sunday and offered vaccinations for inmates and staff.
Scurry said 80% of his staff is vaccinated.
