Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler provides a timeline of events that led up to David Batts’ death, saying that officers committed no wrongdoing.

Spangler says Batts was arrested on January 7th for sexual battery at UT Medical Center and taken to the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility. Due to for not complying with authorities.

Spangler says hours later Batts continued to not comply with supervisors and medical staff, leading them to gain control of him so a nurse could get vital signs. He says the nurse determined that Batts should be taken back to the hospital. 

First responders took him back in the early morning hours of January 8th.  The Sheriff says a judge granted Batts a pre-trial release from custody while he was still where he passed away.  

District Attorney General Charme Allen says a preliminary autopsy report identified Batts’ cause of death as meningitis, meaning the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation would not be looking into the incident.

Spangler added that a urine analysis showed that Batts had fentanyl in his system. A final autopsy report is still pending  Batts’ family hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is well known for his role in representing the family of George Floyd, who died in May of 2020.

Crump said in a statement that Batts’ death was caused by “unchecked brutality” within the Knox County justice system. Representatives from his office added that they intend to file a lawsuit in the near future. “The death of David Batts is an example of unchecked brutality within the justice system,” Crump said. “His family deserves answers, accountability, and justice for this horrific loss. We demand the immediate release of all footage related to the arrest.