Jerry Bradley, 57

Springfield, Tennessee
September 11, 2015

Cause of death: Not Yet Known

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Last updated: almost 6 years ago

Overview

Jerry Bradley reportedly died from an aneurysm while inside a lockup at police headquarters last September.

Even though it's been seven months since his death, Bradley's family is still wondering what happened that night.

It is a haunting question that remains tonight for the family of Jerry Bradley.  How did Bradley die and did police do all they could to prevent his death?

"He was a hard working guy, very easy going, very friendly," said Attorney John Thompson.

Thompson knew Bradley, went to his funeral, and discovered the family knew nothing about the circumstances that led to his death.

What they do know is that the 57-year -old handyman was arrested in Springfield on a warrant for an unpaid fine on the evening of September 11, 2015.

An unpaid fine from Dudley court.

Bradley was placed in a jail cell at Springfield police headquarters until his court appearance in Dudley on Monday, but he died before he could get to court.
  
"When police take someone in custody, they place that person where he can't take care of himself and so it's their responsibility to make sure that if anything happens to him, they take care of him and it looks like that didn't happen," Thompson explained.

Western Mass News has obtained a copy of the report of the Springfield Police Department internal investigations unit.  It is 36 pages long.

It shows some conflicting information about what police said happened and what some inmates reported during interviews.

Police said that they had no knowledge of any serious medical issues affecting Bradley, but one prisoner said to the police officer making his rounds that "Mr. Bradley would shout to the officer 'I can't breathe, I need my treatment.'"  

Bradley would also "yell out that he was getting sick and that he was 'hot.'"

The inmate also said the officer told Bradley "You need to hold on, I need to do my rounds.'"  The inmate said the officer never came back.

The family's requests for information went unheeded in the months following Bradley's death. The city denied attorney John Thompson's request for physical evidence in September, saying the investigation was ongoing.

"I just want to see the video, if they have a video of that night," Olethia Bradley said. "It's not that I'm trying to press charges against the police department. I just want the information of how long it took them to get an ambulance for my brother."

The department's internal investigation has since ended, but because Thompson did not file another request, the family was not provided with any additional information. Thompson did not receive a response from the Hampden County District Attorney's office when he asked them for information in January; that is because the District Attorney's investigation is ongoing, a spokesman for the DA said.

Legal Action

April 2016 Two officers suspended