Cops: State, local officials probing death of Nassau inmate

State and local officials are investigating the death of an inmate found unconscious in his cell at the Nassau County Jail in East Meadow.

The unidentified 45-year-old inmate was discovered in his cell at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, according to Nassau County police. He was pronounced dead at a hospital an hour later, police said.

The cause of death was undetermined and being investigated by police and the medical examiner, officials said. Neither Nassau County police nor the sheriff's department could offer any additional details Thursday about the death or identify the inmate. 

It is the second death at the jail in just over three months. Nikita Pertsev of Brooklyn died Nov. 23 of an apparent drug overdose, Nassau officials said at the time.

A spokesman for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said the county executive would reserve comment on the death of the inmate Wednesday until the investigation is complete.

The Office of Special Investigation for New York State Attorney General Letitia James is also conducting a preliminary assessment of the death, a spokeswoman said late Wednesday.

State law allows the attorney general's office to assess every death of a person in custody or incarcerated. If the assessment indicates an officer caused the death, the office will conduct a full investigation.

The death was also reported by the jail to the New York State Commission of Correction, which is conducting an investigation, as they do with every inmate death, officials said. 

With Grant Parpan

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.