On Thursday at approximately 11:00 pm, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Corrections deputies assigned to the Echo Unit at the Hamilton County Jail advised there was a possible hanging in one of the cells.

Jail supervision and medical personnel immediately responded to the unit along with Chattanooga Fire Department and HCEMS personnel who were already on-scene due to an unrelated medical call on the premises.

Deputies immediately removed the inmate from the cell and CPR and life-saving medical aid was rendered. Unfortunately, the inmate was pronounced deceased a short time later by HCEMS personnel at the scene.

It is important to note cell checks are conducted at least once every hour at the Hamilton County Jail as per Tennessee Corrections Institute (TCI) standards and this inmate was checked within this required timeframe.

As per our standard protocol, family notifications have been made. 

The deceased inmate, William Griffin, was originally booked into the Hamilton County Jail on July 1 on various drug charges.

Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Services have been directed by Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp to conduct an inquiry into this death and their findings will be turned over to her office for review.

The investigation into the death is ongoing.