TBI will not investigate death of man who died after time in Knox County jail

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - District Attorney General Charme Allen will not be ordering an investigation into the death of David Batts, who died after being injured by officers inside Knox County’s Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility.

Previous Coverage: Knoxville lawyer says client died after being hit, stunned while in jail

A representative for Allen’s office provided a statement to WVLT News outlining the DA’s thinking. In it, Allen said a preliminary autopsy report identified Batts' cause of death as meningitis, meaning the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation won’t be looking into it.

“Because of the expert opinion of the Medical Examiner’s Office, there is no criminal homicide for the TBI to investigate,” Allen said, adding that she had reviewed body camera footage of the altercation. “I have concluded that the officers involved responded to Mr. Batts’ assaultive and resistive behavior with appropriate force under the circumstances.”

Batt’s family claimed that he died as a result of being hit and shot with a stun gun while in Knox County’s jail.

Knoxville Police Department officers briefly took David Batts into custody at the Knoxville Area Transit hub on Jan. 7. From there, he was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for a wellness check.

KPD’s Scott Erland said in a previous report from WVLT News that Batts seemed alert as KPD officers later transported him to the detention facility. WVLT News reached out to a representative for the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, which runs the jail, and has not heard back.

Allen also said that the signs of meningitis in Batts could explain his “assaultive or resistive” actions, adding that fentanyl was found in Batts' urinalysis results.

“In addition, urinalysis revealed the presence of fentanyl in Mr. Batts’ system,” Allen said. “The final autopsy report is pending, awaiting the final toxicology results which will determine whether the presence of fentanyl contributed to Mr. Batts’ death.”

Related to the case, nationally-known civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced on Thursday that Batts' family had retained his services.

Previous Coverage: Family of man who died after being jailed in Knox County retains nationally-known civil rights attorney

In a statement to WVLT, a representative for Crump said the office intends to file a lawsuit alleging wrongful death.

Allen’s full statement is below:

I began conversations with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation within hours of Mr. Batts’ death. I have also spoken with the Medical Examiner’s Office concerning their medico-legal death investigation. I have determined that no further criminal investigation by the TBI into the death of Mr. Batts is required because the Medical Examiner’s Preliminary Autopsy Report found that Mr. Batts’ death was not caused by trauma or injury. Their preliminary finding is that Mr. Batts died from meningitis. In addition, urinalysis revealed the presence of fentanyl in Mr. Batts’ system. The final autopsy report is pending, awaiting the final toxicology results which will determine whether the presence of fentanyl contributed to Mr. Batts’ death. Because of the expert opinion of the Medical Examiner’s Office, there is no criminal homicide for the TBI to investigate.

While Mr. Batts did suffer injuries in the custody of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the Medical Examiner has expressed to me that the injuries to Mr. Batts’ face did not cause or contribute to his death in any way. The conclusion that Mr. Batts was suffering from meningitis provides an explanation for his actions, which officers and witnesses interpreted as assaultive or resistive. Based on my review of the body camera footage and the Medical Examiner’s preliminary findings, I have concluded that the officers involved responded to Mr. Batts’ assaultive and resistive behavior with appropriate force under the circumstances. Accordingly, I have determined criminal prosecution based on Mr. Batts’s injuries is not supported by the evidence.

I met with Mr. Batts’ family and attorneys this morning to express my condolences and to explain how the Medical Examiner’s findings preclude any criminal prosecution in this matter at this time.