Terry Thurmond III
Terry Lee Thurmond, 38, was a father of three whom his sister described as sweet, and his family says he had been diagnosed with mental illness. He died in November 2022 at the Clayton County Jail in Georgia after he tried to jump from the second floor, and officers Tased him and held him face down. A medical examiner's report, as cited by WSB-TV, found that he suffered cardiac arrest and ruled his death a homicide, with officers holding him down for about 10 to 15 minutes, while his family's attorney says the restraint lasted longer. A grand jury declined to indict six former jail employees, and the family's federal lawsuit against the county, the sheriff and former deputies alleges that he was refused immediate medical care and that the jail failed to document his mental illness. The sheriff's office said the employees directly involved were fired.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide after deputies held him face down and Tased him, while his family's attorney says officers pinned him for more than 16 minutes and that he was refused immediate medical care; the family has sued the county and sheriff alleging deliberate indifference.
Reported by: Clayton County Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Clayton County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); family attorney Thomas Reynolds (family or their lawyers); family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Georgia Bureau of Investigation (outside investigators); WSB-TV (reporters).
Lawsuit: His family sued the county, the sheriff and former deputies in federal court over his death at the Clayton County Jail, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.
Sources (22)
- Woman searching for her brother finds out he died in Clayton County Jail - WSB-TV
- Clayton Jail detainee dies after struggling with officers - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Georgia Woman's Search for Missing Brother Ends with His Shocking Jailhouse Death | Video
- Clayton County jail employees fired after investigation into inmate’s death - WSB-TV
- Clayton County inmate death officially ruled homicide
- Inmate's death inside Clayton County Jail ruled homicide - WSB-TV
- Clayton medical examiner: Jail detainee’s death a homicide; GBI investigating - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Clayton County Jail inmate death ruled homicide after investigation
- Video shows struggle between inmate who died and deputies inside Clayton County Jail - WSB-TV
- Family calls for additional video to be released after Clayton County inmate death
- Federal subpoena issued after inmate dies after struggle with deputies inside Clayton County jail - WSB-TV
- Grand jury expected to review probe of 6 former Georgia sheriff’s deputies fired after man’s in-custody death, source says
- No indictments for 6 Georgia sheriff’s deputies fired after man’s in-custody death, according to court documents
- Grand jury decides not to charge jail officers in the death of Clayton County inmate - WSB-TV
- Clayton County grand jury doesn’t indict former deputies in inmate’s death
- Family of inmate who died in Clayton Co. Jail calls for federal oversight - WSB-TV
- Jailers not indicted in inmate's death
- Sen. Jon Ossoff requests DOJ investigate “bleak conditions” at Clayton County Jail - WSB-TV
- Sen. Jon Ossoff asks Attorney General for investigation into Clayton County jail
- Family of inmate who died in Clayton County Jail files lawsuit against county, sheriff
- Clayton County, sheriff sued over inmate’s 2022 death - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Family of Clayton inmate who died in custody files lawsuit against county, sheriff, jail staff - WSB-TV