ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (WTVF) — The sheriff in Cheatham County said overcrowding at the jail contributed to a big brawl. This comes after he's begged local leaders to help him build a new facility because overcrowding is putting correctional officers and inmates in danger.
The riot happened early Tuesday morning after inmates broke down the door of a cell using a bed frame.
The initial altercation was between murder suspect, Danny Baker, and Michael Mosley, a family member of the victim. Until Tuesday's fight, they had been separated.
"These dorms hold a capacity of 16 people each, but we had 53 people total in both dorms," said Sheriff Mike Breedlove
Containment is hard when a small confined space is overcrowded.
"First correctional officer gets in, he's trying to get them separated, at this point we've got mad pandemonium," Breedlove said.
Then, multiple fights broke out.
"This idiot is climbing up here, he grabs a guy, and starts choking him out," Breedlove said.
David Diviney has been charged with aggravated assault for the stunt.
"We're getting to the tipping point where something seriously horrible is going to happen," Breedlove said.
In surveillance video, you can see where two correctional officers got pushed around as they tried to stop the fight.
"They are stressed out, but they're doing an amazing job, they're sticking with it," Breedlove said.
Eventually back up responded, but the sheriff said he's having a hard time hiring because officers don't want to work in these conditions.
"Our turnover rate unfortunately is high," Breedlove said.
At the time of the fight, they were 76 inmates over capacity.
"We have hardened criminals in a jail built as a work house, a minimum-security kind of work house," Breedlove said.
The sheriff tried to build a jail by Leeland Homestead, but it was controversial, and got voted down.
They've purchased land across the street to build a new jail, or possibly add on to their current facility.
The county commission will decide at a meeting at 6 p.m. on April 15.
"We're in dire straights right now, and we need help," Breedlove said.
Investigators said the following inmates have been moved to Robertson County: Austin Dodd, David Diviney, Denver Taylor Jr., Jeremy Brewer, Michael Mosley, and Tyler Allred.
It costs $55 per-day to hold inmates in a different county.
Breedlove said correctional officers are dropping like flies, and they need a new jail or a temporary fix as soon as possible due to major safety concerns with overcrowding.
