PORTLAND, Ore. — The state of Oregon has acknowledged that negligence played a substantial role in the death of an inmate who was killed after he asked to be protected from the Aryan Brotherhood and was instead transferred to a cell with a member.
The Department of Corrections made the statement in court documents filed Aug. 22 in response to a lawsuit by the widow of 28-year-old Michael Hagen.
The lawsuit says Hagen told prison administrators he feared for his life after he refused to join the gang.
It adds that gang members claimed Hagen was an informant.
No prison employees have been disciplined in connection with the death.
Inmate Terry Lapich has been accused of beating Hagen to death. He told prison guards that Hagen fell off his bed.
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