By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — Authorities are investigating the death of a state prison inmate who was found to have amphetamine and methamphetamine in his system, a prison spokeswoman said Monday.
James H. White, 35, was taken by ambulance to Delta Memorial Hospital in Dumas after being found unresponsive in his bed about 12:45 p.m. Sunday at the Varner Unit in Lincoln County, state Department of Correction spokeswoman Dina Tyler said. White was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1:55 p.m.
A preliminary toxicology screen at the hospital indicated the presence of amphetamine and methamphetamine in White’s body, but it was not immediately known whether the positive result was caused by illegal drugs or drugs White was taking for multiple health problems, including hepatitis, asthma and a seizure disorder, Tyler said.
“He obviously, because of his medical problems, was on a lot of medicine,” she said.
White’s body has been sent to the state Crime Lab for an autopsy.
Inmates attempted CPR until prison officers and medical staff arrived and took over attempts to revive White, Tyler said.
The Arkansas State Police is conducting an investigation, which is standard procedure when an inmate dies, Tyler said.
White was serving time on convictions from several different counties, including residential burglary in Sebastian County, theft of property in Craighead County, forgery in Clay County and, most recently, a September 2008 conviction of theft by receiving in Pope County.
