Shelby County sheriff, mayor clash over jail conditions and deaths: ‘You’ve never been in the jail’

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is standing by his criticism of conditions at the Main Jail despite Sheriff Floyd Bonner’s response challenging the mayor’s statements.

“My concerns have not changed. The jail is in crisis,” Harris said.

The dispute follows Harris’ recent interview, calling jail deaths “really troubling” and saying the jail is “in need of reform badly.” Harris suggested the jail be privately operated or taken over by the state.

Bonner said Harris is spreading misinformation about jail operations.

“The mayor is putting out a lot of misinformation if you’ve seen some of the things he’s said. One of the most disappointing things is he said the state should take over the jail,” Bonner said.

The sheriff said it is his duty to operate the jail and criticized Harris for not offering assistance.

“Over the last seven and a half years, Mayor Harris has not offered to help the Shelby County Sheriff’s office at all, with anything. The opportunity to build a new jail, to sit down and talk about building a new jail, he has said in the media, he didn’t feel like we needed a new jail, but you’ve never been in the jail,” Bonner said.

Bonner also addressed the 12 jail deaths that have happened this year, offering condolences to families while noting many inmates enter with preexisting conditions that often are not disclosed.

“We’re not finding these people in their cells dead; these people are dying in hospitals. You know, it’s not like we don’t take people to the hospital. We probably make anywhere between six to 12 hospital runs daily,” Bonner said.

Harris said the ongoing lack of effective management is impacting the well-being of people housed at the jail, and the community deserves to hear what the sheriff’s office is doing to address the deaths.

Sheriff Bonner, however, questioned Harris’ handling of the county correctional center, or “Penal Farm,” pointing to jail deaths, incidents of assault and employee misconduct at the facility. Bonner said Harris has not offered transparency about those issues.

Action News 5’s Sydney Gray asked the sheriff: “Why call out the Penal Farm, and what’s going on over there?”

He answered, “Well, that’s under his privy... if you wanna call me out, let’s talk about what you’re running as well,” Bonner said.

When asked about the treatment of inmates, Bonner said officers are trained to treat people with respect.

“One of the things, if you ever come to our graduation, when I’m speaking to the corrections officers as well as law enforcement, I tell them treat people the way that you want to be treated or you wanted one of your loved ones to be treated,” Bonner said.

Harris said he will continue exploring every option available to improve management and training at the jail.

Bonner said conversations between the two offices are not happening, and Harris has never called to offer help.

“Right now the conversations are not happening, and we’re seeing, I’m doing an interview with you, he’s done interviews in the past, but yet and still he’s never picked up the phone and called me to say, ‘Sheriff, what can I do to help?’” Bonner said.

The sheriff said both officials should work together to find creative funding solutions.

“Let’s get about the people’s business and try to figure it out, and try to figure out a way, creatively, how to fund it [a new jail] and where it goes,” Bonner said.

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