The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is beefing up security when bringing jail inmates to the courtrooms at the Walter L. Bailey Jr. Criminal Justice Center, 201 Poplar Ave.

Among the changes, incarcerated people will now be searched with metal detectors and be handcuffed while they await court hearings. 

Sheriff’s Office investigating ‘internal failures’ that led to fatal court stabbing

The enhanced security comes after an Oct. 26 stabbing that led to the death of Deion Byrd while he was in a holding area behind a criminal courtroom. 

“Human error has escalated us to this,” said Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. “But now that we’ve added the metal detectors ... and doing our due diligence, and searching them so many times coming back and forth, we’re hoping that an event like this will never occur again.”

Detainees brought from the jail to any courtroom will go through a metal detector before being physically searched. Before entering and leaving the courtroom, they will be scanned again by a hand-held metal detector.

They also will now be handcuffed to a bench in a holding cell behind the individual courtrooms.

“I do have a suspicion that, just because of what happened, that we had some security breakdowns.”

Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr.

Previously, inmates were only patted down and were free to roam the holding cells.

“If we miss something, and we put two guys that are in a holding team that might have a disagreement or whatever, at least they’re gonna be chained to the bench now, and hopefully we will cut down on any type of altercation between two different detainees,” Bonner said.

Man charged in fatal stabbing of jail inmate

Bonner also hopes efforts to increase staffing will help minimize issues in the jail.

Bonner did not confirm how Donnie Clay, the inmate accused of killing Byrd, got the makeshift shank into the courtroom or what the weapon was made from.

Currently, Clay, who was indicted May 16 for rape of a child, is being separated from other inmates, Bonner said. 

On Oct. 30, SCSO announced its Bureau of Professional Standards and Integrity is focusing on “internal failures,” and command staff reviewed changes, improvements and training.

Bonner said Wednesday that the investigation into Byrd’s death will take another 30 days as it goes through witness statements, surveillance footage and disciplinary procedures. 

Jail detainee dies after stabbing in court

“When you have such a tragic tragedy like this to occur, you’ve got to take a look at everything,” Bonner said.

No deputies have been disciplined in connection to the event, Bonner said. 

“At this time, I just don’t know for sure,” Bonner said when asked if disciplinary proceedings against deputies could come in the future. “I do have a suspicion that, just because of what happened, that we had some security breakdowns.”

The detainees going into the courtroom where Byrd was killed were escorted in through a main hallway because the back elevator, which is designated for inmates, was inoperable.

Although the sheriff’s office is not responsible for maintaining the elevators, Bonner said his department has discussed security measures to put in place when detainees must go through public hallways.

Family of slain inmate wants DOJ involvement at 201 Poplar

He did not disclose those specifics. 

On Nov. 2, national civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced his firm is representing Byrd’s family. Local attorney Brice Timmons, who is working with Crump in the case, said he wants the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene in the jail. 

Bonner said his office is “not going to fight DOJ.” 

“As I say it to some of the others, our jail has been accredited nationally, as well as through the state of Tennessee,” he said. “We feel like we’re doing everything correct. But the jail also mirrors the community.

“When you look at how violent our society has become, why do you think it will be any different in a jail facility? Now, we try to minimize that … but fights and things are going to happen in the jail.”

The Daily Memphian reported in June that there had been 40 deaths inside 201 Poplar since 2019. The Commercial Appeal expanded that data, finding 52 deaths had occurred since 2016 for those in SCSO custody.