The mother of Ramon McGhee, a man who died in custody at the Shelby County Jail, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging severe neglect by jail staff.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has been retained by the family to seek justice for McGhee, who was found unresponsive in his cell at 201 Poplar on January 10, 2024.
Ramon McGhee died two days later in the hospital, reportedly covered in lice and bedbugs.
The lawsuit, filed by McGhee’s mother, Lisa Shahan Choat, on January 4, 2024, accuses jail medical staff of failing to provide essential treatment between October and December 2023. It alleges that McGhee was denied medication for a severe bedbug infestation, leading to his deteriorating health and ultimate death.
A hearing has been set for May 16, 2025.
Attorney Ben Crump issued a statement condemning the conditions at the facility, stating:
“Ramon’s condition upon arrival at the hospital, infested with insects and covered in bites, is truly chilling. How long was this negligence and mistreatment going on for his body to be overtaken by lice and bed bugs? One can only imagine the severity of Ramon’s suffering.”
Crump further stressed the need for federal intervention, asserting that the abuses at Shelby County Jail must be addressed immediately.
“We have long been calling out the many abuses at Shelby County Jail, and we now have a clearer picture of the true inhabitable nature of that facility. The time is now for the federal government to strongly intervene to ensure that this jail is reformed from the inside out so that nobody else has to suffer the same fate as Ramon,” he said.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is currently investigating McGhee’s death. Meanwhile, the lawsuit seeks accountability for the alleged neglect and inhumane conditions that led to his passing.
