Newport News City Jail inmate hangs himself; death investigation underway
Joseph Allen Bratcher was taken to Riverside Regional Medical Center where he later died. Credit: Hemera Technologies, Getty Images Author: 13News Now Staff Updated: 12:27 PM EST January 13, 2021 NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Newport News Sheriff's Office and police department are investigating a jail death after an inmate hanged himself Tuesday. It was around 1:42 a.m. when a deputy found 28-year-old Joseph Allen Bratcher in his cell with a sheet tied around his neck and the cell bars, according to a sheriff's office spokesperson. Deputies immediately called for h...