Louisville resident Monica Graham said she grew up with Shawnta Hughes, a 53-year-old Black woman who died while in custody two weeks ago at Louisville Metro Department of Corrections.
“Shawnta was a nice, lovable person, sweet, funny,” Graham said Thursday.
Graham stood next to Hughes’ son, DeAndrae Hughes, at a press conference with the ACLU. To Graham, Shawnta Hughes’ death is personal, not only because of their friendship, but because her son, Richard Graham died in custody at the downtown Louisville jail in May.
On Tuesday, LMDC officials reported the third death of a person in custody this year. That night, a 54-year-old man was found unresponsive. He was taken to the hospital where he later died. LMDC officials said they won’t release the man’s identity until after they contact his family.
“The status quo of our criminal legal system here in Louisville is killing people,” ACLU Director Amber Duke said.
According to a statement by LMDC officials Wednesday, the investigations into the deaths of Richard Graham and Shawnta Hughes are still ongoing.
Police arrested Shawnta Hughes the morning of Nov. 3 and charged her with crimes including third degree terroristic threatening and trespassing, according to online jail records.
DeAndrae Hughes said he didn’t know his mother had died until he heard it on the news. He said he hasn’t heard from LMDC officials or the coroner’s office since her death.
“These deaths in our jail are absolutely unacceptable,” DeAndrae Hughes said. “This city has to come together. We gotta stop this.”
Police arrested Graham on May 18 after he refused to leave an apartment, according to online police records. He died of a suspected overdose the next day, according to jail officials.
“Even though they got in trouble, there is no cause for them dying in the jail when we feel like they should be safe," Monica Graham, Richard’s mother, said.
Since his death, she said she hasn’t received any more information.
“Holidays are already hard for some of us,” Monica Graham said. “But to keep hearing death, after death, after death, my heart is broken, not just for Richard, for Shawnta’s family and for the gentleman that just died in the jail.”
Duke called for Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, Metro Council and LMDC to take immediate action to address in-custody deaths. She said she wants more transparency about what goes on inside the downtown Louisville jail.
“Clearly, there are systemic failures that are coming together to create an uptick in these deaths. This is an ongoing humanitarian crisis. No one should die in jail,” Duke said.
Judi Jennings with Louisville Family Justice Advocates said jail reform starts with LMDC’s health care contract. LMDC works with YesCare, a national health care provider for correctional facilities.
All three in-custody deaths this year occurred while YesCare was the leading provider in the jail. In July, YesCare filed for bankruptcy in Texas.
“We are nationally known for health care, and we pay a for-profit company millions of dollars to do that, to give health care to our people in the community, who are dying, and that cannot continue,” Jennings said.
Jennings encouraged LMDC officials to reconsider their health care contract and use a local provider.
