Keith Smith
Keith Smith was a man who had been living without a home and had serious mental health needs; a former public defender who represented him, Caroline Travis, remembered him as someone she worked hard to help and said he had been living with his mother until she died. He was held at Louisville Metro Corrections awaiting trial and died there in January 2022, about five days after his arrest, according to the State Medical Examiner's autopsy, which attributed his death to complications from stomach ulcers, including internal bleeding. State reviewers found the jail did not properly notify the state of his death and learned of it from the news. The jail disputed an observation violation in his case, saying its logs showed rounds at least every 30 minutes.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (neglect alleged). The State Medical Examiner's autopsy attributed his death to complications from stomach ulcers, including internal bleeding, while state reviewers said the jail did not properly report his death and that the jail's logs showed rounds at least every 30 minutes, which the jail disputed as an observation violation.
Reported by: State Medical Examiner (medical examiner or coroner); state reviewers; Louisville Metro Department of Corrections (the agency that held him).