Jonathan Koppenhaver Suicide Attempt: War Machine's Brother Releases Statement; Letter Found in Cell Written to Christy Mack

Former mixed martial artist War Machine, who is facing life in prison after allegedly assaulting ex-girlfriend Christy Mack, attempted suicide in jail this week according to multiple reports.

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TMZ was first to report Thursday that War Machine, born Jonathan Koppenhaver, tried to hang himself in his jail cell in the Clark County (Nev.) Detention Center on Tuesday night but was stopped by a corrections officer. Sources said an officer passing by Koppenhaver's cell called out to him and he was unresponsive and then found him sitting on the ground with his feet up on the bunk bed.

According to TMZ, the officer entered the cell and saw Koppenhaver had a piece of linen tied around his neck and it was tied to the leg of the bed. The report said his face was purple and the officer then cut the linen, easing the pressure on Koppenhaver's breathing as he attempted to speak. He is currently being held on suicide watch in a medical isolation cell. The report also said officers found what looked like suicide notes in his cell, and one of them was written to Mack.

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War Machine's brother Michael Koppenhaver commented on the attempt in a blog post for the website FromANobody.com. "My worst fear was that his demons would win, that contemplating his own death would became an act rather than just another negative thought," he wrote. "...By God's grace the demons didn't win. The guard cut him down and began heroic, lifesaving actions that restarted War's heart and brought his body back to life. Deep in my heart I know my father was there, letting Jon know this wasn't his time to die, this wasn't how his story ends. 

On Thursday it was reported that lawyers for the 32-year-old Koppenhaver told a judge they are trying to make a plea deal with prosecutors. Koppenhaver was expected to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Friday, Oct. 17, but the defense were granted a postponement so they can come up with "a plea deal to resolve the case ... without further litigation and pretrial proceedings," according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Mack, born Christine Mackinday, was expected to testify on Friday along with Corey Thomas, the other alleged victim in the assault case.

Koppenhaver faces 32 felony counts, including two counts of attempted murder, and plead not guilty at his first court appearance in September. He is accused of attacking Mackinday and Thomas in her Las Vegas home on Aug. 8. The alleged assault left Mackinday with multiple injuries including a lacerated liver, 18 broken bones and two missing teeth.

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