Nine Shelby County Deputies Indicted In The Beating Death Of Memphis Jail Inmate Gershun Freeman

Nine deputies in Shelby County, Tennessee have been indicted in last year’s beating death of Memphis Jail inmate Gershun Freeman, 33.

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On Thursday (September 21), state prosecutors released a grand jury indictment against nine corrections deputies charged in the in-custody death of Shelby County Jail inmate Gershun Freeman in 2022.

A day prior, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner announced that the nine corrections deputies had been charged, but he did not release their names. At the time, Sheriff Bonner also pledged that he was in full support of the deputies and claimed that he’d pay any legal fees, noting that he believed the indictment to be a political hit.

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The indictment arrives in connection to the October 5, 2022, beating death of Freeman. It is reported that on that day, several deputies were caught on camera violently attacking Freeman, who is said to have already been suffering from health issues.

During the attack, several officers are seen on camera punching, kicking, and using what appears to be pepper spray on Freeman, as they all tried to subdue him after he lunged at officers from inside of his cell. According to the medical examiner’s office, experts found Freeman’s cause of death to be an exacerbation of “cardiovascular disease due to physical altercation and subdual.”

They added that a “probable psychotic disorder” was likely a contributing condition that may have initiated the attack. Freeman’s family’s attorney has noted that the victim was under mental health observation while at the Memphis jail. 

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Since the attack, nine officers have now been charged and indicted. Two of the officers, identified as Stevon Jones and Courtney Parham, are facing charges of second-degree murder and aggravated assault resulting in Freeman’s death. The seven other deputies have been indicted on lesser charges.

The other deputies involved include:

Ebonee Davis – Charged with aggravated assault leading to the death of another in Freeman’s death

Chelsey Duckett – Charged with aggravated assault leading to the death of another in Freeman’s death

Jeffrey Gibson – Charged with aggravated assault leading to the death of another in Freeman’s death

Anthony Howell – Charged with aggravated assault leading to the death of another in Freeman’s death

Lareko Elliott – Charged with aggravated assault resulting in the death of another in Freeman’s death.

Damian Cooper – Charged with aggravated assault resulting in the death of another in Freeman’s death.

At the time of publishing this article, the ninth deputy has not turned themselves in yet, and/or their identity has not yet been released to the public. All nine are due in court on October 27 for a bond hearing.

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