John Daulton
John Daulton, 61, was held at the Kenton County Detention Center in Covington, Kentucky, in May 2023. Kenton County police say his cellmate attacked him on May 14, and he died on May 21 at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, about a week later. His daughter, Tonya Jones, said she stayed with him until the end, that he feared dying alone, and that she wants justice for him. A detention deputy's incident report says he saw the cellmate stomp on Daulton's head, while the family's attorney says the deputy needed keys to open the cell door. The family's federal lawsuit alleges that jail staff ignored rules on housing violent people and on 10-minute checks, and that he stayed in the cell after being medically cleared; the county has declined to discuss the case while it is pending.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (neglect alleged). Kenton County police say his cellmate attacked him, and his family's federal lawsuit says jail staff ignored housing policies and required 10-minute checks and kept him in the cell after he was medically cleared.
Reported by: Kenton County Police Department (the agency that held him); Kenton County police officer's testimony at a pretrial hearing (court); Daulton's daughter Tonya Jones and her attorneys (family or their lawyers); Daulton's family federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Detention deputy's incident report (the agency that held him); News reporting on Kenton County records (reporters).
Lawsuit: His family filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Kenton County Detention Center staff ignored housing and cell-check policies, and no settlement or award has been reported.
News reports (7)
- Inmate dies at Kenton County Detention Center
- Police: Inmate dies after being assaulted by cellmate at Kenton County Jail
- Kenton County inmate charged with murdering former cellmate
- His daughter wants to know why Johnny Daulton had to die a violent death in a Kenton County Jail cell
- Inmate's 'violent tendencies' disclosed hours before allegedly killing Kenton County cellmate
- Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing cellmate in Kenton County jail
- Family of former inmate allegedly killed by cellmate sues Kenton County over his death