Joshua McLemore
Joshua McLemore, 29, had schizophrenia, and his aunt described him as a devoted friend to many; family and friends remember him as someone who liked to read, play chess and watch sports. He was held at the Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, Indiana, for about three weeks in the summer of 2021, largely in an isolation cell, and was flown to a hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he died on August 10, 2021. The official autopsy attributes his death to multiple organ failure linked to refusing food and fluids and to untreated schizophrenia. His aunt, Melita Ladner, as administrator of his estate, filed a federal lawsuit alleging that staff ignored his mental health crisis, gave him little medical care, and let him lose about 45 pounds; the county settled for $7.25 million while denying wrongdoing, and the contract medical provider denies the allegations. A county prosecutor found no criminal liability by any individual employee but said he most likely died from a prolonged lack of attention by jail staff.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The autopsy attributes the death to multiple organ failure from refusing food and water with untreated schizophrenia, while his estate's federal lawsuit says jail staff and the medical contractor ignored his deterioration and failed to provide care, and the county prosecutor said he most likely died from a prolonged lack of attention by jail staff but filed no charges.
Reported by: Hamilton County Coroner (autopsy report) (medical examiner or coroner); Melita Ladner, his aunt and estate administrator, in a federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Chalfant (outside investigators).
Lawsuit: His estate sued Jackson County and the county settled for $7.25 million in 2023, while claims against the jail's medical contractor and physician remain pending.
News reports (24)
- A year after her death, Ta'Neasha Chappell's family is still looking for answers
- Indiana Jail Let Man With Schizophrenia Starve to Death in Solitary, Lawsuit Alleges
- Lawsuit: Officials ignored inmate for 20 days. Naked and alone, he died.
- Echoing Arkansas Death, Lawsuit Alleges Inmate Starved to Death in Indiana
- Man with schizophrenia was left naked in jail cell for weeks before death, video shows
- He Needed Medical Help. He Ended Up In Jail And Died Weeks Later.
- From Georgia to Indiana, inmates left by jailers to die in deplorable, inhumane conditions
- Man with schizophrenia died after weeks of being malnourished in solitary confinement, lawsuit says
- Sickening video shows man with schizophrenia left naked in jail cell for weeks before he starved to death
- Joshua McLemore: A man with schizophrenia died after being kept naked and malnourished in solitary confinement at an Indiana jail for nearly 3 weeks, lawsuit says
- Man with schizophrenia died after being kept naked, malnourished in solitary confinement at an Indiana jail, lawsuit says
- Man with mental health issues dies in solitary confinement; lawsuit filed
- Man With Schizophrenia Died After 20 Days of Solitary Confinement: Suit
- Indiana man with schizophrenia dies of dehydration, malnutrition after 3 weeks in solitary: lawsuit
- Lawsuit: Man died after 20 days in isolation at Jackson Co. jail
- Indiana inmate died after losing 45 lbs. over 20 days of solitary confinement: lawsuit
- A man went to the hospital in a psychotic crisis. Then he starved to death in jail
- Jackson County Jail: Wrongdoing denied in inmate death
- Estate of inmate who died in custody, Jackson County Jail settle suit
- Ind. county pays $7.25M settlement over pretrial detainee’s death
- McLemore case settled for $7.25 million in Jackson County lawsuit
- Jackson County settles $7.25 million lawsuit over inmate who died while in isolation
- Family of man who starved to death in Indiana jail awarded $7.25m settlement
- Why doesn’t the U.S. government know how many people die in custody?