Alaska inmate dies following terminal illness

ANCHORAGE — Alaska corrections officials say a 71-year-old inmate has died of a terminal illness.

Jim Ferguson died early Friday morning, Alaska Department of Corrections said in a release. Officials say his death was expected.

The department said Ferguson had been in custody since May 2013 after being convicted of sexual assault of a minor.

Ferguson is the 11th inmate to die in custody this year. Both internal and external investigations will be conducted, per department policy.

Ferguson’s death comes two days after a 37-year-old Anchorage correctional complex inmate died Monday at an Anchorage hospital following an apparent suicide attempt.

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