Family wants answers about jail death

October 9, 2008

I would like to thank everyone in the community for all the condolences and support my family and myself have received over the past few weeks. The outpouring of support that we have received from everyone has really been unbelievable and appreciated. No words can express our gratitude.

Jeff Lanham was my little brother and he was loved dearly. My family and I are grieving his tragic and undeserved death. Jeff was 24 years old and had his whole life ahead of him. Jeff had his problems and hadn't grown up. However, he was a young man trying to find his way.

It saddens me that Jordan, his 3-year-old son, will not know Jeff. Jordan won't ever see the glint of pride in his father's eyes when he catches his first baseball or makes his first tackle. It saddens me that I will never get to see the man I know my brother would have grown up to be. Jeff will be forever missed.

Jeff, like a lot of young adults in this community, had problems, all of which, I admit, were caused by himself. As a teenager, Jeff made some bad choices that he was still paying for in young adulthood. There are many people in this community struggling with the same issues Jeff struggled with every day. My heart goes out to these people. Life is tough and full of disappointments and all I can tell you is no one can make you the person you want to be except yourself.

As I am sure everyone knows, Jeff died in the Morgan County Jail, under their supervision. Over the past few weeks, my family and I have had an enormous number of phone calls from people in our own community discussing the bad treatment they or someone they loved received at the Morgan County Jail. I myself have heard stories before, but I had not paid too much attention because, after all, it is a jail and not the Holiday Inn.

Unfortunately, due to the death of my brother, I have had to sit up and pay attention. Everyone in this community needs to sit up and pay attention. I want to understand how and why our jail did not provide my brother with medical attention. The simple task of getting him to the hospital or calling an ambulance could have saved his life. Why?

Is it really all about the money in this community? Are these young adult lives in the custody of the county really that insignificant? I want someone to explain this to me. The Sheriff, the Morgan County Jail and its employees are paid by the community to protect and serve. Protect and serve - does anyone know what that means?

Everyone who has reached out to us has asked "if there is anything we can do, let us know." This is what everyone can do for us: sit up and pay attention. The people who run this community are elected officials. Let me say that again - elected officials. Anyone who has had a bad experience at the Morgan County Jail or with the Sheriff's department or the city police department, please file a complaint with the county and with the Indiana Department of Corrections.

It's time we started making our Sheriff, councilmen, mayor, city police, county law enforcement and all city and county officials accountable. Call these people. Write these people. It's time. I don't know about everyone else, but I don't want anyone else to die.

Tamie Hatfield

James Lanham

Donna Lanham

Stacie Barnette

(the family of Jeff Lanham)

Martinsville