A disturbance erupted at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Tennessee, involving numerous inmates who attempted to destroy property, interfered with security apparatus, and ignited small fires. The turmoil lasted several hours, resulting in minor injuries to three inmates and one correctional officer, as reported by the private operator of the facility.
On Sunday evening, several housing unit residents broke out of their cells and accessed an internal courtyard, acting “disruptive and confrontational,” and did not comply with directives from the prison staff, as explained by CoreCivic’s spokesperson, Ryan Gustin. Trousdale Turner Correctional Center is located in Hartsville, about 50 miles northeast of Nashville, and is currently under a U.S. Department of Justice investigation.
During the incident, one correctional officer was assaulted and later discharged from the hospital, while three inmates sustained minor injuries and received medical attention, Gustin reported.
In response, the prison’s staff deployed chemical agents to subdue the inmates, regaining control by early Monday. The inmates did not reach the prison’s perimeter, with state troopers and local law enforcement maintaining an outer security presence. There was no attempt to escape, according to Gustin.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol dispatched about 75 troopers to the site, ensuring overnight presence until every inmate was accounted for, according to Jason Pack, spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
Following the disturbance, the facility remained on lockdown as CoreCivic, in collaboration with the Tennessee Department of Correction, began an investigation into the incident, Gustin said.
Dorinda Carter, representative for the Department of Correction, clarified that despite non-compliance by some inmates with staff orders, this was not a hostage situation.
This incident came after an earlier assault on Saturday where two inmates at Trousdale attacked a correctional officer, who is still hospitalized, Gustin mentioned.
In August of the preceding year, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an investigation into the Trousdale prison following numerous reports detailing incidents such as physical and sexual assaults, murders, contraband smuggling, and serious staffing shortages. These reports, highlighted by U.S. Attorney Henry Leventis at the time, affirmed that the investigation remains active.
Since 2016, CoreCivic has faced fines of $37.7 million across four prisons in Tennessee, including penalties for staffing inadequacies. The company has also resolved over $4.4 million in lawsuits and out-of-court settlements related to allegations of mistreatment, including at least 22 inmate deaths, across four Tennessee prisons and two jails.
Audits released in 2017, 2020, and 2023 by the state comptroller have been very critical.
CoreCivic, headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, has defended its operations by referencing industry-wide challenges in hiring and retaining employees. They have emphasized their efforts in offering incentives and strategically reallocating staff from other national facilities.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s administration has shown support for CoreCivic. However, the state’s Republican-majority Legislature has indicated concern by passing a bill that mandates transferring 10% of inmates out of a private prison whenever the death rate exceeds twice the rate of a comparable state facility. Governor Lee enacted this legislation. Sarah Gallagher, spokesperson for the Department of Correction, indicated the department is preparing measures to assess and report the death rate for 2025 under this new regulation.
The legislation was largely propelled by Tim Leeper, a local roofing business owner, who connected with two legislators at a local Rotary Club, eventually leading them to sponsor the bill. His son, Kylan Leeper, a former inmate at Trousdale, died from a fentanyl overdose, prompting the family to sue CoreCivic.