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SALT LAKE CITY — The death of a Utah State Prison inmate in September was not the result of wrongdoing by law enforcement personnel, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office announced Monday.
Christopher Lee Lucas, 25, died after a fight with another inmate in the commons area of the prison's Uinta III facility, according to investigators. To break up the fight, corrections officers used pepper spray.
While the cause of death was determined to be a "cardiopulmonary arrest following a physical altercation and pepper spray exposure," it was not the result of unlawful actions by law enforcement, according to the district attorney's office. The assistant medical examiner said Lucas' schizophrenia also contributed to his death.
As a result of the finding, no charges will be filed against corrections personnel in connection to the case.
Prison inmate Samuel Jacob Wise, 26, was charged with homicide by assault in connection to the Lucas' death in June. Wise and Lucas were reportedly fighting about noise levels.
