Robert Turner
Robert Turner died in 2021 after a suicide attempt in his cell at the Shelby County Jail on Poplar Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, three days after he was held there. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital. A lawsuit filed on behalf of his estate says a mental health assessment rated him a low suicide risk despite his known history, and that a deputy failed to perform required cell checks and falsified a log. The county and Wellpath, the jail's health care provider, reached a confidential settlement, and Wellpath denied any wrongdoing.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). A lawsuit filed for Turner's estate says a mental health assessment wrongly rated him a low suicide risk despite his known history, and that a deputy skipped required cell checks and falsified a log; the lawsuit's account of the jail's failures is disputed by the county and Wellpath, which reached a confidential settlement and denied wrongdoing.
Reported by: lawsuit filed on behalf of Robert Turner's estate (family or their lawyers); The Commercial Appeal (reporters).
Lawsuit: His estate sued Shelby County and Wellpath, the jail's health care provider, and the county and Wellpath reached a confidential settlement, with Wellpath denying any wrongdoing.