TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Nov 13, 2023

Shelby County chief jailer Kirk Fields filed a motion Friday asking that he be dismissed from the civil suit filed against him, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. and Shelby County government by the family of Gershun Freeman. Freeman died while in police custody in October 2022. Nine Shelby corrections officers have been indicted for their alleged roles in his death. The Daily Memphian reports that Fields asked the court to dismiss him from the suit primarily because it fails to show he was directly involved in Freeman’s death. Fields also alleged he has qualified immunity, which affords him immunity from civil suit.