TBI continues investigation into inmate death after fight at 201 Poplar

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - An investigation is underway and a family is demanding answers after an inmate died in Shelby County jail Wednesday night.

Family members say they were told there was a fight involving the inmate leading to the death, but no other information was provided.

Gershun Freeman, 33, was booked into Shelby County Jail on Saturday, charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault.

He had a preliminary hearing scheduled for the charges in about two weeks.

Now, family members say they don’t understand how Freeman, a husband and father of two, entered Shelby County Jail alive and is now leaving the system dead.

Family members say they were provided little information about the incident. The wife of Freeman says she received a call early Wednesday morning about Freeman being involved in a fight and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was investigating.

Family members say it wasn’t until hours later that the father received confirmation that Freeman had died.

“I want -- I want to know why they haven’t called us and told us anything about the situation,” said Burks. “I had to get up and go to the morgue and find out myself.”

We reached out to TBI officials several times while they confirmed there was a death at 201 Poplar Wednesday, they say they weren’t able to provide details about it and an autopsy was underway.

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