After inmate deaths, Harris says Shelby County Jail needs real reform, not rhetoric
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris speaks during a press conference announcing a ‘plan of action’ amid 201 Poplar jail conditions, in-custody deaths on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is calling for stronger reforms at the Shelby County Jail, saying the Sheriff’s plan falls short amid a rise in inmate deaths and what he described as a “lack of basic humanity.”
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Shelby County Sheriff's Office jail deaths Lee Harris Floyd Bonner Shelby County JailAarron Fleming
Aarron Fleming covers public safety for The Daily Memphian, focusing on crime and the local court system. He earned his bachelor’s in journalism and strategic media from the University of Memphis.
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