Nebraska
Inspector General’s Office investigates in-custody suicides with Nebraska Department of Correctional Services
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – An inspector general is recommending changes in the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services after reviewing three in-custody suicides.
A report released Tuesday details successes and failures made by staff and infrastructure within NDCS in the wake of three suicides between 2021 and 2023. The inmates died by hanging in each incident, but all under different circumstances.
Inspector General Doug Koebernick said in his report that NDCS has spent time looking into suicides in its facilities. A suicide work group had been established in 2018, led by the department’s medical director.
The group made multiple recommendations for the department which include:
- Distributing suicide awareness pamphlets to inmates, friends and family
- Adjusting the staff training manual
- Streaming a suicide prevention video in all NDCS facilities
- Using an additional screening tool during transfers and intakes
- Advertising a phone number that friends and family can call should an inmate make alarming comments
During his investigation, Koebernick found that NDCS only implemented the phone number to report suicidal comments made by inmates. However, the number did not work, and NDCS eventually phased the program out.
A review of three suicides then revealed a handful of policy and infrastructure failures within NDCS that resulted in incomplete investigations. He found that internal critical incident reviews, mandated reports outlining specific details in suicides, were not be sufficiently completed.
Similarly, a mental health team member is required to complete a psychological autopsy following a suicide. Koebernick requested the psychological autopsies in each case, but NDCS did not provide him with any.
Individual A:
The first inmate, identified as Individual A, a 45-year-old man, died by suicide at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution in 2022. He was serving a life sentence after murdering his cellmate and had been incarcerated for a variety of charges beginning in 2006.
In August, correctional staff found the inmate lying with his left arm hanging off his bed. He had cut himself, and a pool of blood was gathering on the floor. Staff brought him to the medical unit and gave him stitches.
He told staff that he was not suicidal, but a suicide note that had been tossed in the trash was later found in his room. The inmate was put under “Plan A,” otherwise known as suicide watch, and was given a security blanket, paper clothes and extra supervision.
A few days later, behavioral health staff downgraded his plan before returning him to his regular unit. The inmate had denied any suicidal intent when spoken to by staff.
Staff then found the inmate unresponsive in his cell just 16 days after he cut his wrists with a razor blade, Koebernick wrote. He wrapped a bedsheet around his neck and tied it to the top bunk of his bed. Staff attempted life-saving measures, but the inmate was pronounced dead.
Koebernick reviewed phone call the inmate made in the days before his death, and he discovered that the man had spoken to his mother on several occasions. Five days before his death, the inmate told his mother about his self-harm and indicated that he wanted to die.
The inspector general then interviewed inmates familiar with the man and learned that he may have been abusing K2 and possibly owed another inmate money for the drug. He noted that the review of phone calls and the interviews were not completed in the ICIR.
Individual B:
In June of 2023, another 45-year-old inmate took his life in a similar manner to Individual A. He had been incarcerated since May of 2023, and his release was expected by the next year.
An emergency response team was activated after the inmate was found unresponsive in his cell one night. He was found face-down with a sheet tied around his neck that had been attached to a locker. Staff performed life-saving measures, but a paramedic with Lincoln Fire and Rescue ultimately pronounced him dead.
Further investigation revealed that not all cameras in the area were operational at the time, eliminating any view of staff outside the cell. Intelligence staff noted the issue a day after the death, Koebernick wrote.
Koebernick discovered that the cameras were not working due to a software update. The cameras should have been working at the time, however, but nobody bothered to check if they were actually functioning.
Prior to the death, Koebernick check the inmate’s call records and discovered he’d made 99 outgoing calls on the day of his death. He learned that the inmate would regularly call a woman and get into an argument. Only two of the calls connected that day, and both devolved into “a very vocal argument,” Koebernick wrote.
The inmate’s cellmate was interviewed, and he shared a harrowing story from the night of the suicide. Staff woke him up once they found his cellmate unresponsive and yelled at him to untie the bed sheet. But staff burst in and ordered him back to his bed. He was handcuffed as staff performed CPR and later moved to the holding area.
His cellmate’s corpse was then left in the same holding room in full view of the inmate. He asked to be taken out of the room three or four times but was told no each time. After some time, staff returned him to his cell and then transferred him to a new cell the next day.
The inmate reported suffering a breakdown the day after the suicide, and he reported that mental health staff did not contact him despite his suffering.
During the interview, the inmate told Koebernick that his deceased cellmate had been abusing his prescription drugs in the days leading up to his suicide and often stayed up all night.
Individual C:
Finally, the inspector general’s office investigated the suicide death of a 25-year-old inmate in December of 2021. The man had been incarcerated since 2019, and he was expected to be released in early 2032.
The inmate was not a sex offender at the time of his death, but he was slated to be sentenced for a sex-related offense in federal court the week following his death.
Correctional staff discovered the inmate unresponsive on his bottom bunk early one morning. Like Individual A, Individual C wrapped a bed sheet around his neck and tied it to his top bunk. Chest compressions were attempted, but the inmate was pronounced dead a short time after he was found.
A suicide note showed that the inmate did not want to be a sex offender. The ICIR showed that staff handled the incident well, but the inmate had been checked at “substandard” 30-minute increments.
Another suicide at Tecumseh’s prison in 2016 involved the use of a bed sheet tied to a top bunk, and the ICIR in this incident recommended staff remove the second bunk and cabinets from the prison’s cells.
In his findings, Koebernick concurred with the ICIR’s recommendation and encouraged NDCS to removed second bunks and cabinets from cells in Tecumseh.
He also wrote that body camera footage from the incidents proved helpful in his investigation, but noted that those cameras aren’t in use at the Reception and Treatment Center which primarily handles cases involving mental health.
He then recommended the following actions for NDCS:
- NDCS should review the recommendations from the 2018 suicide work group and determine if a special team should be created to focus on suicides and suicide attempts
- The department should review its policy regarding psychological autopsies and whether or not they have been completed or remain necessary
- The prison in Tecumseh should remove second bunks and cabinets from its cells
- Body cameras should be implemented with staff on each shift’s emergency response team
- The ICIR process should be amended to include more investigatory means, including interviewing inmates and reviewing additional information in each incident
Inspector General Koebernick shared his findings with NDCS Director Rob Jeffries on June 10. He concluded his report with Jeffries’ response on June 25.
The director wrote back with the following after signing a policy directive for NDCS:
“The mental health director/designee will designate a psychologist who is not assigned to the affected facility to complete a psychological autopsy for all suicides and, as he/she deems appropriate for attempted suicides.”
Click here to subscribe to our 10/11 NOW daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.
Copyright 2024 KOLN. All rights reserved.
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Three-time Nebraska High School State champion Eje Kim has announced his verbal commitment to the admissions process at Yale University as a part of the Bulldogs 2027 recruiting class.
Kim wrote the following about his commitment.
I’m extremely excited to announce my verbal commitment to the admissions process at Yale University! I want to thank my coaches, Pat, Miranda, Gaby, Randy, Katie, Uriah, and Emma for creating my love for swimming and pushing me to the limits. I also want to thank the Yale coaching staff, Jim, Kyle, Joey, and Dana for giving me this amazing opportunity. Thank you to my teammates, Mason, Mason, Ryan, Quinn, Bennett, and Nolan for making practice fun and becoming such good friends. Lastly, thank you to my parents. GO BULLDOGS! 🐶💙
Kim hails from Lincoln, Neb., where he represents Club Husker and Lincoln East High School. As a junior, Kim secured a pair of Nebraska State championship titles, winning both the 100 backstroke in 48.32 and the 100 fly in 47.95. As a sophomore, he claimed his first state championship title in the 100 back, clocking 49.73.
A few weeks after those championships, he raced at the Speedo Sectionals in Columbia, where he won the 50 fly in 21.63, and set a plethora of lifetime bests in the process, including the 50 free (21.22), 100 back (47.83), 200 back (1:44.17), and the 100 fly (47.81).
Best Times SCY:
- 100 Back: 47.83
- 200 Back: 1:44.17
- 100 Fly: 47.81
- 50 Free: 21.22
- 100 Free: 46.44
- 200 Free: 1:40.60
- 200 IM: 1:52.82
Kim is set to join a Yale men’s program that finished just under 200 points behind Ivy League Champions Princeton at the 2026 Men’s Ivy League Championships.
Based on Kim’s best times, he would have finished tied for 11th in the 200 back, 14th in the 100 back, and 20th in the 100 fly.
Kim’s immediate scoring ability is a major upside, and in the highly competitive Ivy League, Yale could use all of the points they can get to creep up to the top of the Ivy League.
With another year until he makes his collegiate debut, Kim still has plenty of time to build up his base times and make an even more significant impact on the Ivy League stage from year one.
Yale was productive in all of Kim’s events at the 2026 Ivy League Championships, including 51 points in the 100 back, 55 points in the 100 fly, and another 74 in the 200 back.
Kim joins Fin McLane, Charles Knoepp, Evan Pan-Wang, and Edward Zhang in Yale’s 2027 recruiting class.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour
Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.
FFT SOCIAL
Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
Facebook – @fitterandfastertour
Twitter – @fitterandfaster
FFT is a SwimSwam partner.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) — Children across Nebraska can get free meals during the summer months through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program.
The Olinger family is one of many families getting free meals while school is out. Mikayla Olinger said the program helps save money on groceries.
“It helps a lot,” Olinger said. “Oh yes, especially with the three boys and now my daughter is starting to eat big food.”
Oscar Garcia, director of food service at West Lawn Elementary, said the community struggles with food insecurity.
“Some kids don’t know where their next meal is coming from, that’s why it’s important we meet the need in our community,” Garcia said.
The program also provides a place for children to learn new skills. One parent said it teaches children how to use a cafeteria so they are prepared when they go for the first time.
“The bonus to that is that sometimes they may run into their classmates they haven’t seen in a couple of months,” Garcia said.
Another parent said the program keeps children active.
Garcia said he has a goal for 16,000 meals to be served this year. Meals are available for any child whether they are in the school district or not.
Meal locations and dates
Free summer breakfast and lunch will be available at the following locations:
- Dodge Elementary — June 2-July 17
- Howard Elementary — June 2-June 26
- Shoemaker Elementary — June 1-June 26
- Starr Elementary — June 1-July 17
- West Lawn Elementary — June 1-July 17
- Grand Island Senior High — June 2-June 27 (breakfast only)
Click here to subscribe to our KSNB Local4 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.
Copyright 2026 KSNB. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
Nebraska Public Service Commission approves controversial transmission line through the Sandhills
The Nebraska Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved a heavily disputed 220-mile Nebraska Public Power District transmission line through the Sandhills.
Commissioners were briefed that the limited scope of the vote wouldn’t stop the so-called R Project, but only delay it. It passed by a count of 3-1, with one commissioner present not voting.
Christian Mirch, representing eastern Douglas County, didn’t vote. Kevin Stocker, who represents Grand Island and everything to the west, voted against the project.
“I recognize that the Nebraska Public Service Commission has limited authority over transmission line projects and is not responsible for establishing Nebraska’s overall energy policy,” Stocker said, “but since this permit requires a vote from commissioners, I will state the reasons for my opposition. First and foremost, the entire project is in my district, and currently the project does not have total support from the landowners who will be directly impacted.”
Stocker said changing national energy policy and NPPD considering a nuclear power station raises questions about the $800 million R Project. He called on the utility to perform an updated assessment of the plans.
Amy Ballheh lives and ranches near Burwell. Fire sparking is a concern, and the record-breaking wildfires this spring are evidence of the risk, Ballheh said during the public comment period.
“When these lines are put up out in the middle of nowhere, the fire gets started before you can hardly see it, and then you can’t get to them because the hills are too sandy,” Ballheh said. “There’s too many low, wet grounds. It’s just very, very difficult, so that is a big concern to have it out in that grassland.”
Many landowners have not signed agreements with NPPD. Landowners cite the fragile nature of the Sandhills and how the project could endanger the whooping crane and American burying beetle.
Trent Lewis of Sherman County said the Sandhills are a key part of one of the largest grasslands in the world. He’s a co-op owner of NPPD but said the power company’s plan doesn’t add up.
“In the name of net carbon zero, [NPPD] wants to bring concrete, steel, and heavy machinery into the second-largest carbon sequestration area of the world and somehow believe that we’re making progress,” Lewis said. “Making progress for who and what?”
The Sandhills are “the Great Plains’ largest and most unspoiled grassland ecosystem,” a University of Nebraska-Lincoln article said in 2024.
The commission’s legal team said NPPD provided all the necessary infrastructure waivers with phone, internet and railroad companies nearby to move forward. Its attorney said the Public Service Commission is statutorily required to approve projects that meet requirements, like the R Project has.
This is the latest news in a 13-year case that’s heading to court for the second time, after permits were vacated following the first case in 2020.
A nonprofit called Preserve The Sandhills and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota seek a preliminary injunction in the U.S. Civil Court of Denver, where U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel named in the case are based. The Fish and Wildlife Service approved a permit application filed by NPPD, which outlined a plan to minimize harm for the endangered American burying beetle, allowing the plans to move forward.
In a statement emailed to Nebraska Public Media News in April, a spokesperson for NPPD said the project “is desperately needed to improve reliability and reduce congestion on the Nebraska grid.” The utility said it followed all legal requirements in the Fish and Wildlife permitting process.
-
Vermont1 minute agoVermont seeks dynamic pricing for state park access
-
Virginia6 minutes agoWest Virginia commit announces decision by blasting ‘Country Roads,’ lighting a couch on fire
-
Washington13 minutes agoSteelers Sign TE Darnell Washington to Four-Year Extension
-
Wisconsin16 minutes agoWisconsin DNR reminding ATV and UTV drivers that more wardens will be out this weekend
-
West Virginia21 minutes agoRoot’s walk-off hit sends Keyser past PikeView, 4-3 – WV MetroNews
-
Wyoming28 minutes ago
Take Back Wyoming fundraiser
-
Crypto31 minutes agoRobert Kiyosaki Asks How Government Taking 40% of Your Money Still Ends up Trillions in Debt
-
Finance36 minutes agoHouston budget amendment would give financial assistance to help those impacted by a trash fee
