Inmate Died After Choking on Chicken

A 37-year-old inmate died choking on chicken after jail staff ignored his requests for soft food — no doctor-prescribed diet was ever provided, despite his missing teeth. His grandmother is suing Rutherford County, the jail’s medical provider, and medical director for negligence and deliberate indifference, seeking $5 million. The jail had failed a state inspection just weeks before his death, raising alarms about systemic failures — even though food services passed, overall conditions were deemed inadequate. Denton, serving a six-year sentence typically reserved for state prisons, died while inmates screamed for help — medical staff arrived too late. The case underscores growing strain on county jails holding long-term state prisoners and questions about whether standards are being met. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5cbec037ce867560