Derek Smith
Derek Smith was the father of a young son, and people who knew him described him as polite and well-mannered. He was held at the Tunica County Jail in Mississippi, and he was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died in February 2017. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is examining what happened after he was booked, and the cause of death had not been determined pending an autopsy. Witnesses dispute how deputies handled him, including whether they used a Taser while his girlfriend asked them to stop.
Cause of death, as reported: Cause not yet determined (disputed; neglect alleged). The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating and the autopsy results had not been released; witnesses dispute how deputies handled him, including whether he was tased while his girlfriend asked them to stop, and a news report lists the cause as medical neglect.
Reported by: Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (outside investigators); witnesses; news report.