Deion Byrd
Deion Byrd, 25, was stabbed in a holding cell behind a courtroom at the Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar in Memphis on October 26, 2023. He was taken to Regional One Hospital in critical condition and was later pronounced dead. His family sued Shelby County, Sheriff Floyd Bonner and Chief Jailer Kirk Fields, represented by attorney Ben Crump. The lawsuit alleges that jail policies showed deliberate indifference to the safety of people held there and that the jail's death rate had risen sharply.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (neglect alleged). The Shelby County Sheriff's Office says Byrd was stabbed in a holding cell, and his family's lawsuit alleges the jail's policies showed deliberate indifference to inmate safety.
Reported by: Shelby County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); family lawsuit (Ben Crump, family attorney) (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued Sheriff Floyd Bonner, Chief Jailer Kirk Fields and Shelby County, alleging deliberate indifference to inmate safety at the jail, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.