MBI investigating death of Yazoo County jail inmate. Body at state crime lab

Scott Hawkins, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
·2 min read

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating the death of an inmate who died Feb. 25 in the Yazoo County Regional Correctional Facility, and his body has been sent to the Mississippi State Crime Laboratory for an autopsy, an attorney for the victim’s family said.

James Robertson, 52, died while in custody at the Yazoo County facility on a Driving Under the Influence charge, said Carlos Moore, an attorney for the Cochran Law Firm — Mississippi Delta, that is representing the family who Moore said has not had a chance to see Robertson’s body.

Bailey Martin, spokesperson for the MBI, confirmed the organization is investigating Robertson's in-custody death.

“Due to this being an open and ongoing investigation, no further comment will be made at this time,” Martin said in confirming the investigation.

Moore said he spoke to Yazoo County Sheriff Jacob “Jake” Sheriff on Wednesday morning about what happened the night Robertson died, and Sheriff told him a video showed Robertson died while lying in his bunk.

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Moore said Sheriff did not show him the video, and he said the family has not seen it either.

“The sheriff says … he (Robertson) did complain to the authorities in the day,” Moore said. “A limited investigation revealed that he did complain to the jailers and medical staff, and they failed to get him timely treatment.”

Robertson’s daughter, Lakeisha Robertson, said she and family members hired Moore to help them determine what happened to her father, who had served six months in the Yazoo County Jail after getting a DUI while he was out on parole. He was released on bond in early February. However, authorities said the release was a mistake, and he turned himself back into custody at the facility on Feb. 6.

He remained in the jail until his death on Feb. 25. No family members were allowed to see the body, Lakeisha said.

“Personally, I have no closure,” Lakeisha said of the decision to hire an attorney. “I don't know what really happened. And dying in jail that is not the way to die.”

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Inmate dies in custody of Yazoo County Correctional Facility MS