Calls for New Shelby County Jail following disturbing photos released by attorney Ben Crump

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has released disturbing photos from inside 201 Poplar.

Crump says the photo is an example of how bad conditions are inside the Shelby County Jail.

He represents the family of Ramon McGhee, an inmate who died after being found malnourished and covered in bed bug bites inside his cell on January 10.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital two days later.

In the photos released by Crump, you can see what is described as human feces smeared on the wall and an inoperable toilet.

Photos released by civil rights attorney Ben Crump that reportedly show an inmate's cell... — Photos released by civil rights attorney Ben Crump that reportedly show an inmate’s cell inside of 201 Poplar.(Ben Crump)

Action News 5 reached out to Crump for clarification on when these photos were taken or if this was the exact cell McGhee was found in.

We have not heard back, but according to an interview Crump did with the Commercial Appeal, the photos were taken between 2021 and 2023.

Shelby County Commissioner Amber Mills says there is one sure fire way to prevent issues like this from happening again:

“It would be a new prison, and it would be built for the future. This would be the prison that would be built for our lifetime. We won’t have to deal with this again,” said Mills. “We won’t be seeing the issues in the prison in the news, and it will help with the manpower needed to operate a prison, you can build it more efficiently.”

She says a new prison could cost up to a billion dollars, and that state leaders are working on a bill that would raise the money through a temporary sales tax increase.

Mills calls that the most viable option.

“We know we don’t want a property tax increase. “That’s what we’re looking at because we are on the cusp of the federal government coming in and dictating a new prison,” said Mills.

In the meantime, a spokesperson with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said staff is working to improve conditions in the jail, including cleaning cells multiple times a day.

The SCSO cannot comment on pending litigation. Still, we have told the community that what happened in the case of Ramon McGhee was unacceptable, and significant corrective measures have been put in place. The prison struggles daily with mentally ill residents, particularly those who refuse medication and treatment for medical issues. Some of them, unfortunately, use their bodily waste to stain their cell walls and floors. Their cells are cleaned daily and several times a day, if needed. These cell conditions are not commonplace in the prison. Many of our mentally ill residents belong in treatment facilities, not this prison.

In response to the photos shared, our office was told by reporter Lucas Finton that the photos shared by Ben Crump were as follows: the photo that features an inmate is from 2023, and the other photo is from late 2021/early 2022. Unfortunately, it appears that a staff member violated a resident’s right to privacy and a clean space by taking these photos instead of trying to correct the problems. Maintenance teams are working 24/7 that are in place to repair toilets, like in this case, and the residents are moved to another cell with a working toilet. It is unacceptable for such conditions to remain for any period, so we try to ensure the problems are addressed immediately. Officers are expected to report such conditions and take immediate correction to ensure that they are remedied. Supervisors are also responsible for checking the housing units daily.

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