MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit over the stabbing death of an inmate by another inmate at 201 Poplar in October 2023.
25-year-old Deion Byrd was stabbed about 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 26, 2023, while in a holding cell behind a courtroom at the Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar. He was taken in critical condition to Regional One Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Donnie Clay is charged with first degree murder in Byrd's death. He remains in the Shelby County Jail without bond in the murder case.
According to court records, Byrd was appearing in court that day on charges of first-degree murder, vehicular homicide, aggravated assault and more for an incident in January. Records showed Clay had been set to appear in court on charge of a rape of a child.
The lawsuit claimed Clay chased Byrd into an interview roomed and stabbed him with a ‘shank.’ The suit claimed the two were not being monitored at the time.
The family retained attorney Ben Crump and filed the lawsuit in January 2024. Crump blamed “gross negligence” at 201 Poplar for the death.
Aug. 13, 2024, Judge Samuel Mays Jr. with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee dismissed the lawsuit filed by Byrd’s family against Shelby County, Sheriff Floyd Bonner, and Chief Jailor Kirk Fields. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can not be refiled as is. The order to dismiss from the judge said the claims made by the family were not ‘plausible.’
“He was stabbed in court in the place he was supposed to be kept safe. And then nobody called to tell us. His attorney called,” mother Laquita Byrd said during a news conference earlier this year.
The couple said their son made plenty of mistakes but didn't deserve to be killed.
“25-years-old. Made a lot of mistakes. I’m not gonna say he was a saint, I’m not gonna say he was perfect. But tell me something, who’s perfect when they’re 25,” said father Marcus Byrd.
