ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Cramped quarters, fights, and lack of hygiene products are common problems in the Cheatham County Jail according to a former inmate.
It's one of several jails in Middle Tennessee dealing with overcrowding issues.
When a massive brawl broke out at the Cheatham County Jail early Tuesday morning, it didn't come as a surprise to former inmate Austin Edwards.
“I’ve been locked up other places, and this is by far the worst,” said Edwards.
Edwards says he served time at the jail off and on for the last five years. When he returned to the facility in January, he said he was one of many inmates forced to sleep on the floor and under stairs due to a lack of space.
“When I went in, they handed me two blankets,” said Edwards. “I said, where is my mat? They said we don’t have any mats.”
In 2016, Edwards suffered a broken nose, after correctional officers broke up a fight in which he was involved. He said he felt the deputy acted too aggressively.
Cheatham County Sheriff Mike Breedlove agreed the county needs a bigger jail because the current situation is putting correctional officers and inmates in danger.
”I would say we are getting to the tipping point where something seriously horrible is going to happen,” said Sheriff Breedlove.
When the fight broke out, Sheriff Breedlove says the jail was 76 inmates over capacity. To help control the problem, he has been forced to ask neighboring counties to help house inmates, but that costs Cheatham county additional money.
Edwards’ aunt, Theresa Brown, says the situation is unacceptable, and she has voiced her concerns to the sheriff for years.
“The conditions are horrible,” said Brown. “These are not animals. They are inmates. They are humans. It’s so overcrowded, the inmates are literally sleeping on the floor just inches away from drains and toilets.”
Brown believed the jail needs to be shut down, and a new facility built.
Sheriff Breedlove says the county has purchased land across the street to possibly build a new jail, but any new facility or expansion had to be approved by the County Commission. Their next meeting is set for April 15th.
