War Machine Attempts Suicide

LOS ANGELES—NBC affiliate KSNV in Nevada reported this morning that Jonathan Koppenhaver, aka War Machine, who is incarcerated in the Clark County Detention Center for the August 2014 beating of former adult performer Christy Mack and her friend, Corey Thomas, attempted to kill himself Tuesday night in his jail cell. "Johnathan Koppenhaver... was found unresponsive by a corrections guard making cell checks about 9:30 p.m. at the county jail," reported the station. A Metro Officer, Jose Hernandez, told the station in an email, "On Oct. 14, at approximately 9:30 p.m., a corrections officer was conducting routine walk-throughs inside the Clark County Detention Center when he noticed inmate Koppenhaver in a seated position on the floor with his feet resting on the bunk." The article continues, "The officer noticed what appeared to be a torn piece of linen around his neck that was tied to the leg of his bunk. He called several times to Koppenhaver but the prisoner did not respond. "The officer entered the cell while continuously asking Koppenhaver if he could hear him. The officer observed that Koppenhaver was struggling to breathe and cut the sheet from Koppenhaver’s neck. "Additional officers arrived to assist and continued to check Koppenhaver for responses. Koppenhaver’s breathing became less strained and he started to respond by attempting to speak. "Medical personnel arrived and determined Koppenhaver’s vitals had stabilized about 9:45 p.m. Koppenhaver was moved to a medical isolation cell where he was placed on suicide watch." A suicide note was also found, but its contents were not released at this time. The article adds that Koppenhaver failed to appear in court Tuesday, and notes, "Koppenhaver's lawyers told a judge Wednesday they’re trying to make a deal with prosecutors." The former professional mixed martial arts fighter faces life in prison for the August attacks and also for other previous assaults prosecutors have charged him with, accounting for dozens of individual charges.