Inmate's Death In Alexandria Jail Leads To Lawsuit Against Feds

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The family of a man who died by suicide in Alexandria's jail has filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming officials failed to send him to a medical facility for needed treatment.

Christopher Lapp, 62, a nuclear physicist from Great Falls, was alone when found unresponsive in his cell at William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center around 1:37 a.m. on May 18, 2021, and died at the hospital. Lapp had been in the midst of a trial related to a November 2018 armed bank robbery in Great Falls.

The lawsuit from Lapp's 16-year-old daughter is against the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Justice Department and a psychiatrist, according to the Washington Post. The lawsuit stems from Lapp not being sent to Butner Federal Medical Center, a federal prison in North Carolina for inmates with medical needs, despite a judge's order. In addition, Lapp's medications were stopped after a psychiatrist's evaluation.

At the time of the suicide, the Alexandria sheriff's office noted Lapp had been held at the jail per a sheriff's office agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service. In 2019, Lapp had been indicted by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia on charges of bank robbery, carjacking and two counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

After the court found Lapp incompetent to stand trial on Jan. 24, 2020, he was ordered to receive a psychiatric and psychological assessment. After receiving treatment, he was determined to be competent, and a trial date was set for Sept. 14, 2021. On April 16, 2021, Lapp pleaded guilty to bank robbery, carjacking and one count of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

According to the Associated Press, a federal judge took Lapp's guilty plea in 2021 and ordered Lapp's return to Butner Federal Medical Center.

After Lapp's suicide, the judge blasted prison leaders for not listening to the order for Lapp's transfer. The judge also noted he was partially responsible, as Lapp's lawyer filed in court that Butner would not accept Lapp.

Lapp had been at Butner before being found competent to stand trial. The lawsuit against the federal government also claims the Alexandria jail did not receive documents detailing Lapp's full medical situation. The psychiatrist who evaluated Lapp claimed the inmate said he didn't need the medication, which resulted in the decision to end the medication, the AP reported.

When Lapp was found unresponsive in his jail cell, a note was found from Lapp to his daughter saying "bad people" were after him, according to the AP.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons did not comment on the lawsuit to the AP or Washington Post.

If you or someone you know is considering harming themselves, help is available. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by calling 988. Immediate help is also available in an emergency by dialing 911. Additional mental health and suicide prevention resources are available online.