An inmate at Penobscot County Jail ended his four-week hunger strike over the weekend. James Emerson, 23, reportedly ate a peanut butter sandwich as well as eggs and toast following a visit from his mother who beseeched the young inmate to eat. His mother told him that he would suffer permanent health damage if he did not call off his hunger strike.

Officials say that Emerson's choice to eat puts a controversy to rest, ending the pending legal struggle over whether or not Emerson could be force-fed, or die in jail of starvation or dehydration.

Emerson had initially claimed he would rather starve to death than go to jail. Emerson's mother said that he told her over the weekend that he no longer wanted to kill himself, and would eat a sandwich when her visit was over.