Pinckneyville prison inmate who said he 'fell' dies in hospital

A state prison inmate who was found bleeding from the mouth and said he fell has died in a southern Illinois hospital.

An Illinois Department of Corrections spokesman says Paul Rhoden died Tuesday afternoon at Pinckneyville Community Hospital.

Agency investigators are reviewing whether Rhoden was involved in an altercation at the Pinckneyville Correctional Center. But spokesman Tom Shaer says there's no evidence of that.

Rhoden was an inmate at the medium-security prison. When he was discovered outside a common area bleeding from the mouth at 6:35 p.m. Monday he told officials he fell. There were no other injuries.

Rhoden was hospitalized overnight and OK'd for discharge Tuesday. Correctional officers prepared to return him to prison reported he fell again and doctors could not revive him.

An autopsy is planned.