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Jamie Lee Wallace was sentenced to 25 years Monday, November 7, 2011, for killing mother and attempting to kill grandfather (The Birmingham News/Tamika Moore)

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An Alabama state prisoner who testified in the ongoing trial over mental health care in state prisons was found dead in his cell of an apparent suicide, the Department of Corrections said.

Jamie Wallace, 24, was found hanging in his cell at Bullock Correctional Facility on Dec. 15, according to DOC.

Wallace was the first inmate to testify in the federal trial over a class-action lawsuit by inmates claiming that a failure to provide adequate mental health care in Alabama prisons violates the Constitution.

Wallace was serving a 25-year sentence after pleading guilty to the 2009 murder of his mother, Michelle Ann Wallace of Graysville. He also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his grandfather.

Wallace testified in the federal trial in Montgomery on Dec. 5. He testified that he was "mildly retarded" and had bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and ADHD.

Maria Morris, senior supervising attorney for the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is representing the inmates in the case, issued a statement about Wallace's death.

"Mr. Wallace was severely mentally ill, and he testified in this matter because he wanted to bring the lack of mental health care to the attention of the court in the hopes of making it better," Morris said. "We're really sad that any changes didn't come in time for Mr. Wallace."

"I think what this does as far as the trial is highlight the gross inadequacies of the mental health care system in Alabama prisons."

Morris said Wallace was in a "stabilization unit," which she said is the highest level of care DOC has.

"It's not clear why he had access to a sheet with which to hang himself," Morris said.

According to a news release from DOC, a correctional officer found Wallace hanging from a piece of cloth in his cell and unresponsive at about 10:33 p.m. on Dec. 15.

A nurse from the correctional facility administered CPR but was unsuccessful in resuscitating the inmate.

DOC is investigating the death.

Wallace testified about what he said was the infrequency of seeing mental health staff in the prisons even though he repeatedly cut and harmed himself.

Wallace testified that one corrections officer gave him a razor in response to his efforts to harm himself.

Lawyers representing Department of Corrections challenged the credibility of his testimony during cross-examination, and at one point got Wallace to confirm he had met with five staffers on one day.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson stopped Wallace's testimony during cross-examination because Wallace was becoming agitated.

The non-jury trial is in its third week and was initially expected to last eight weeks, although it has moved more slowly than expected.

Inmates who sued the state are represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program and other lawyers.

They claim that inmates with mental illness are not diagnosed and that others are more seriously ill than their diagnosis indicates.

They claim that DOC, through its mental health contractor, MHM, fails to provide enough psychiatrists, registered nurses and counselors to provide adequate treatment, among other claims.

DOC disputes the claims.

AL.com reporter Amy Yurkanin contributed to this report.

Updated at 12:29 p.m. to add statement from SPLC attorney Maria Morris.

