MEMPHIS, Tenn. — On Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) released a statement regarding Ramon McGhee, a 42-year-old Shelby County Jail inmate who died on Jan. 12.
McGhee was found unresponsive on Jan. 10, and family members said McGhee was covered in a massive amount of lice and bed bugs when he arrived at the hospital. He later died on Jan. 12.
"Immediate action was taken by alerting the T.B.I. and the District Attorney’s Office upon his hospital transfer," the Sheriff's Office said. "Unfortunately, directions concerning his cell cleaning and personal hygiene were disregarded, and crucial information was withheld."
The SCSO said those who neglected their responsibilities during the incident did not reflect the values of the Sheriff's Office.
"This behavior is intolerable, and we are fully dedicated to preventing such tragedies from happening in the future," they said.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said they have been "conducting an extensive investigation into concerning incidents at the main Jail for several months. The Sheriff’s Office, along with other law enforcement agencies, has initiated criminal investigations as per the Sheriff's request. Charges have been filed by both the Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office, with ongoing internal investigations into non-criminal matters."
The Sheriff's Office said efforts are underway to restructure the security operations team in the jail with the recent retirements of the Assistant Chief and Chief Inspector in that division.
"Significant changes have been made in various departments by reassigning staff and responsibilities," they said. "We trust that these adjustments, along with others in the pipeline, will work towards rebuilding public confidence in our agency."
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations confirmed on Jan. 16 it was conducting an investigation into McGhee’s death. An autopsy was scheduled to determine the cause of death, but those results have yet to be released.
The family of McGhee retained nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump.
Attorney Crump released the following statement:
“Ramon's condition upon arrival at the hospital, infested with insects and covered in bites, is truly chilling. How long was this negligence and mistreatment going on for his body to be overtaken by lice and bed bugs? One can only imagine the severity of Ramon’s suffering.
“We have long been calling out the many abuses at Shelby County Jail and we now have a clearer picture of the true inhabitable nature of that facility. The time is now for the federal government to strongly intervene to ensure that this jail is reformed from the inside out so that nobody else has to suffer the same fate as Ramon.”
According to Shelby County court records, McGhee was in jail on a $1,000,000 bond, facing two counts of first-degree murder and a count of especially aggravated robbery.