Kylan Leeper
Kylan Leeper was 25 years old, and his father, Tim Leeper, says he called home every day and planned to join the family roofing business after his release. He died in October 2023 in his cell at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, a CoreCivic-run prison in Hartsville, Tennessee. An autopsy found fentanyl in his body and another pill sewn into his clothing, and his father says Kylan had never used fentanyl before prison and believes he took a pill meant to help him sleep. The father also says Kylan did not get proper medical treatment for injuries from a stabbing about a week after he arrived at the prison. A federal wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family, through attorney Mark Walwyn, alleges understaffing, slow responses to overdoses and staff smuggling drugs, while CoreCivic says it has a zero-tolerance policy on contraband and does not comment on pending litigation.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). The autopsy and a later ruling found an accidental fentanyl overdose, but his father Tim Leeper's federal wrongful death lawsuit against CoreCivic alleges understaffing, slow response to overdoses, and staff smuggling drugs, and says he did not get proper medical treatment for injuries.
Reported by: autopsy; Tim Leeper, his father (family or their lawyers); his family's federal wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His father, Tim Leeper, filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against CoreCivic over his death at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, and the case has not produced a reported settlement or award.
Sources (8)
- Inmate dead, two correctional officers injured after unrelated incidents at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center
- Lawsuit filed against CoreCivic and others after inmate's death at Trousdale
- Trousdale Turner faces scrutiny, lawmakers push for reform
- Families face challenges getting answers to prison deaths
- 'A catalyst for change': Father hopes new spotlight on Trousdale prison will bring reform after son's death
- Father uses Nashville billboard to push for private prison reform after son dies in CoreCivic
- Tennessee father organizes prison reform town hall after son's overdose death in state facility
- 'How many people have to die?:' Tennessee families demand prison reform after losing loved ones