Muscogee County Jail inmate dies after he’s found unresponsive in cell; GBI investigating
Editor’s Note: The name of the deceased has been corrected to Robert James.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is probing the death of a 75-year-old inmate at the Muscogee County Jail.
Inmates notified jail staff Tuesday that Robert James was lying unresponsive on his cell floor, Sheriff Greg Countryman said at a press conference Wednesday. He died later that evening.
“We believe there was no foul play in this incident,” Countryman said. “However, it’s our protocol to bring in the GBI to investigate any inmate death in our facility.”
Countryman said this death, as well as one on Monday, are the first two under his administration as sheriff.
“We want to be as transparent as possible with the community about what’s going on in their jail,” he said.
Kearis Hollingsworth died of natural causes Monday while receiving treatment at Piedmont Columbus Regional, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said. Countryman said Hollingsworth was hospitalized for six days before he died.
This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 11:16 AM.
