TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Mar 20, 2025

An inmate who died at the Shelby County Jail in 2024 died from heart disease, according to an official autopsy report. Lawrence Sumlin died in the jail's intake area. Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. initially attributed the death to a "medical emergency," the Daily Memphian reports. Sumlin had been arrested for theft and was homeless at the time of his death. According to the autopsy, he had a history of high blood pressure, seizure disorder, poor compliance with medications and substance abuse. The autopsy also stated Sumlin had two "altercations" with inmates on the day he was brought in. Sumlin is one of 60 inmates who have died at the Shelby County Jail since 2019. Four inmates died last month, one by suicide, one from an overdose and two from undetermined "medical emergencies," according to the sheriff's office.