| |
|
Jefferson County Jail suicide
On the heels of a lawsuit stemming from the January, 2014 suicide of an inmate in the Jefferson County Detention Center, an inmate in the facility recently died of a heart attack and another reportedly committed suicide. The lawsuit filed in Jefferson County Circuit Court, alleges that Jeffrey Free was serving a DUI sentence when he was placed in the medical unit. It says Free had medical issues and required a CPAP machine. The cord of the machine was reportedly used by the inmate in the suicide, the day after his admission to the unit. . According to the lawsuit, the detention facility has a suicide unit but it was not utilized even though Free was reportedly a suicide risk. It says no employees were supervising the medical unit and no qualified medical personnel were at the jail at the time Free was incarcerated, until the time of his death. The action demands damages of $300,000 from Jefferson County. Contacted after the second suicide Wednesday night, Jefferson County Sheriff GW "Bud" McCoig, declined to comment on the death. Friday afternoon the sheriff called a press conference at the detention center at which time he read a statement but declined to answer any questions, or provide the identify of the most recent victim. "Our prayers are for the families who lost loved ones. I stand up for the men and women who serve this county and oversee the inmates at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. They have done nothing wrong. The sheriff said he asked the TBI to participate in the investigation "and we have been found to have done nothing wrong." "Two have taken their own lives and one has had what we believe to have been a heart attack. We house between 250 and 300 inmates every day. I am proud of our men and women who serve. I witnessed these officers try to save these lives. We have done nothing wrong". McCoig said he was attacked four years ago during the election for sheriff, " and now with this timely lawsuit the attacks are being made." The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Friday the investigation into the most recent death is continuing.
|
Return to Today's News Stories - Front PageThursday, April 29, 2021
US 411 Project News
Mill Creek Wildfire Update
More Bad News For Smokies' Fans
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Mill Creek Wildfire doubles in size
Goodbye Smokies?
Keep Cocke County Beautiful
Cocke Co. High School Remote Learning today!
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
The fireflies are coming!
Burnout Operations on MillCreek wildfire today
Gas prices drop
Tennessee keeps all US House seats
Monday, April 26, 2021
Boat accident victim ID'd
Traffic stop yields drug arrest
Cocke County Wildfires
Friday, April 23, 2021
Leaving WNPC
Mathis announces candidacy
Newport drug roundup
Cruise Against Cancer
Jobless numbers
|
|
|