Omaha, Neb. ? A federal jury in Omaha awarded $850,000 Monday to the mother of a man who hanged himself in 2006 in eastern Nebraska’s Dodge County jail.

The woman had sued the county for wrongful death. Her son, Troy Sampson, was 37 when he committed suicide on Aug. 10, 2006, by using a sheet to hang himself from a vent in his cell.

He had been jailed on two felony counts of making terroristic threats and five misdemeanor counts — stalking, violating a protection order, intimidation by phone, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.

His mother, Sherry Luckert of Effingham, Kan., accused jail officials in her lawsuit of disregarding signs that Sampson was suicidal. County officials also knew Sampson was suicidal because his doctor told them, and Sampson told jail officials he needed mental health care, the lawsuit said.