Lawsuit Filed Over Inmate Death at Rutherford County Jail - Articles

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Posted by: Azya Thornton on May 29, 2026

The grandmother of a man who died while incarcerated at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center has filed a federal lawsuit against the county. According to the Nashville Banner newsletter, Joseph Adam Denton died in May 2025 after choking on a chicken meal while in custody. The lawsuit states Denton had previously had all of his teeth removed and had requested a soft diet before his incarceration. The complaint alleges other inmates attempted to alert guards and medical staff when Denton began choking and claims jail personnel failed to intervene until after he lost consciousness, briefly regained consciousness and later went into cardiac arrest. The lawsuit alleges violations of Denton’s constitutional rights and Tennessee law and seeks $5 million in damages.