'He needed protection': Inmate Jose Reanos-Mendoza's death sparks lawsuit on jail staffing
Editors note: This story includes descriptions of fatal jail violence involving an inmate fight based on a lawsuit and documents and videos that The Daily News Journal obtained through a public records request with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office. The story presentation is excluding jail images of the victim to respect the dignity of Jose Reanos-Mendoza.
A jail fight over sack lunches without detention officers to break it up cost inmate Jose Reanos-Mendoza his life.
Jose is one of nine inmates to die since 2016 while in custody of the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office either at the Adult Detention Center or a hospital. Questions linger about whether the jail has enough detention officers to protect the inmates, employees and public.
Jose lost his life after fellow inmate Yoelbis Paz of Cuba started the fight on July 17, 2021, and then body slammed and punched the victim in the head, according to the yet-settled lawsuit filed in Rutherford County Circuit Court.
The legal issues remain unresolved following Jose's death. His mother, Rosa Maria Mendoza Cruz of Honduras, filed a wrongful death lawsuit June 30, 2022, through Nashville attorney David J. Weissman against Rutherford County. She's accusing the county jail of failing to protect her 29-year-old son a few weeks before his 30th birthday on Aug. 12, 2021.
"The failure of the jail to have guards/correctional officers in the pod during mealtime made it foreseeable that an altercation would occur and further was thus the proximate cause of the incident that resulted in the death of Mr. Mendoza," the lawsuit said.
Jose was nearing the end of a 30-day sentence on misdemeanor charges of failing to appear in court when the jail fight occurred the day before Jose died from a severe head injury at a Nashville hospital on July 18, 2021, his brother Adan Cruz said.
The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office does not comment on on pending lawsuits, spokeswoman Lisa Marchesoni said.
'His momma needs to know what happened': Death of inmate Jose Reanos-Mendoza unresolved
Jail continues to have staffing vacancies
The county adult detention center has dealt with staffing vacancies to watch over an inmate population of 739 at a jail with 956 inmate beds as of Aug. 10, 2023. The jail on that date had about 40 openings for detention deputies out of 204 full-time and three part-time budgeted positions, Marchesoni said.
"The detention staff and the recruitment team are actively working to hire and train additional detention deputies," Marchesoni said.
Although the lawsuit remains pending, the criminal issue involving the jail fight did reach conclusion a year ago. Circuit Court Judge James "Jimmy" Turner sentenced Paz to a maximum six-year state prison sentence for an aggravated assault resulting in the death of Jose. The sentence included pretrial jail credit from July 17, 2021, the day of the fight with Jose, to Aug. 11, 2022, the day of the Paz sentencing after a guilty plea.
Paz prior to the fight with Jose had been booked at the jail April 9, 2021, on charges that included resisting arrest, theft, tampering with evidence and simple possession of marijuana.
Jail records also suggest that detention officers had to deal with meal disputes involving Paz nine days after his booking and three months prior to the fight with Jose.
Paz had a "loud verbal disagreement over the lunch trays" with another inmate the morning of April 18, 2021.
On the evening of April 18, 2021, Paz was "written up for participation of a fight" with the same inmate involving the lunch trays. The fight in question involved Paz accepting a passed out sack dinner and then grabbing another sack dinner from a cart before getting pushed away by the same inmate handing out the meals.
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County attorney denies fault in death of Jose
The lawsuit seeks $300,000 in compensatory damages and reasonable discretionary costs for the "physical and emotional pain and suffering endured by Mr. Mendoza from the time of the assault to until the time of his death."
The mother's case also seeks a civil award to help pay for medical expenses, funeral expenses and money for the value of the life of Jose.
Rutherford County Attorney Nick Christiansen requested the case be dismissed, according to the answer to the lawsuit he filed Sept. 26, 2022.
"Any wrongdoing or liability on behalf of the county are expressly denied," Christiansen wrote multiple times in his answer to the lawsuit.
Jose's mother is "not entitled to a jury trial" based on the "Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act," the county attorney said in his answer.
Christiansen also noted that if the court determined that Jose was 50% at fault of the accident at issue in this case, he may not recover damages from the county.
If the fault for Jose is determined to be 49% or less, any damages from the county "should be reduced" and "consistent with the percentage of fault," Christiansen added.
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Lawsuit: No officers present during jail mealtime confrontation
The lawsuit said the jail used a "bizarre" method of feeding inmates:
"Rather than having a guard or trustee (inmate who's earned trust to provide services at jail) pass out sandwiches, a trustee dropped brown bag lunches through a hole in the wall, approximately 15 to 20 feet above the inmates. The inmates would gather below the hole and try to secure a bag lunch."
Given Jose was a 5 foot 7 inches tall, 160-pound man and shorter than others, he had a difficult time obtaining a sack lunch while a taller inmate was gathering multiple bags.
"There was no correctional officer or guard in the pod to facilitate the smooth and peaceful acquisition of lunch."
The county attorney conceded that "brown bag lunches were passed down through a hole above a door to trustee in the pod who then distributed the lunches to other inmates."
The lawsuit also said that Jose after grabbing a brown bag lunch from the floor went to a table where another inmate "forced the much smaller Mr. Mendoza to give (the other inmate Jose's) lunch."
"There was no employee of Rutherford County, TN, in the pod to protect Mr. Mendoza or other inmates from this foreseeable bullying," the lawsuit said.
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Jose's life ends after fight challenge from Paz
After giving up his first brown bag, Jose attempted to get another lunch from the wall where the meals were dropped, the lawsuit said. He then had a confrontation with the same inmate who took the first lunch from Jose before the inmate "walked away with multiple bag lunches."
Jose then faced a challenge from Paz, a 5-foot-10-inch tall, 140-pound inmate, jail records show.
There was no deputy present to break up the fight, according to the lawsuit:
"Shortly after approaching Mr. Mendoza, Mr. Paz kicks off his flip flops and took a fighting stance. He then started throwing punches at Mr. Mendoza."
Jose swung back in self-defense and put Paz in a headlock before being overpowered.
"Mr. Paz picked Mr. Mendoza up and slammed him to the ground. Mr. Mendoza's head hit the ground forcefully."
The slam caused Jose to have a seizure.
"Mr. Paz jumped on top of Mendoza and smashed Mr. Mendoza in the head with a closed fist."
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Jail staff arrive to offer treatment to Jose
The jail had 15 detention officers complete reports dated July 17, 2021, about what happened between Jose and Paz on the same date.
A jail tower operator for pod 3 reported spotting Jose on the ground under the stairs.
"He appeared to be having a seizure," the jail tower operator said. "I immediately called a code 4 (medical emergency) at which point various second shift units arrived along with medical staff."
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Another detention officer reported that Jose "came out of his labored state and began to actively resist both medical staff and officers.” The same officer also reported joining two other deputies in following the instructions of medical responders and a jail staff supervisor by placing Jose's "hands behind his back with little resistance and cuffed him.”
The responding officers also determined the inmate injury had involved a fight with Paz. The officers escorted Paz for initial medical treatment that cleared him before the officers took Paz to a segregated area of the jail, according to a deputy report.
Another deputy reported assisting paramedics and Murfreesboro firefighters in placing Jose on a stretcher.
A Rutherford County Emergency Medical Service ambulance arrived at the jail's sally port to transport Jose to TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center in Smyrna for initial hospital treatment.
"Considering the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to Skyline Medical Center (Nashville), where several hours later he would die as a result of injuries suffered in this incident," the lawsuit said.
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Sheriff hires new deputy chief over jail operations
Rutherford County Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh requested that Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents investigate the inmate death, according to a press release that came out on the day Jose died.
“We extend sympathy to the family on the death of their loved one,” Fitzhugh said in the press release.
The litigation also accused the jail of failing to provide adequately staffed and appropriately trained and supervised detention officers when Jose died from the injuries in the fight.
About a month after the death of Jose, former sheriff's Deputy Chief Chris Fly resigned from overseeing jail operations Aug. 20, 2021. Fly had served since February 2019 after replacing Bernard Salandy, who became Sheriff Fitzhugh's first deputy chief over the jail in January 2017.
Two months after Jose died, the sheriff was still searching for new deputy chief over the jail that as of Sept. 21, 2021, and had 24 staff openings:
Three administrators
Eighteen detention deputies
Three booking deputies
By November 2021, the sheriff hired Kevin Henderson to be the new deputy chief over the jail. Henderson said his goal when he started his job was to build the confidence of the inmates rather than "beat people down."
"These people come from our communities," said Henderson, adding that he'd rather offer positive reinforcement to inmates.
"We owe them that. Recidivism, all that goes down when you start holding these guys accountable, and not just with doing time, but with their actions and their behaviors. You always show them a different way of doing things."
Henderson grew up in Memphis. Prior to accepting his job in Rutherford County, he had 30 years of experience in correctional services with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and that county's Division of Corrections.
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Family and friends miss Jose
The booking records for Jose show that he had attended Miami Dade College. His brother Adan Cruz touted how smart Jose was while growing up in diverse Miami, such as learning to speak Spanish, English, Chinese, Arabic, French and Hebrew.
Although nearing the end of his month-long incarceration, Jose was worried about his safety and wanted to be moved to a different floor of the nine-story jail, he told his brother on the phone prior to the fight.
"He needed protection," Adan Cruz said.
Jose's death months later lingered with family and friends who revered him in the neighborhood where he lived at his brother's home on the east side of Murfreesboro. They described him as a man who'd take off his shirt and shoes to give to people in need.
Known also for his skills as a self-employed mechanic and autobody paint worker, Jose would help his fellow Hastings Street-area neighbors when they needed car repairs or a ride.
"Jose has a good heart for everybody," Adan Cruz said.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
Inmate deaths
The following shows list of nine inmates who have died in custody since 2016 either at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center or hospital:
Jonathan Maxwell: Jan. 30, 2016, suicide by hanging
Michael Murray: Feb. 6, 2016, suicide by hanging
Clifford Brothers: March 29, 2016, medical
Gwendolyn Taylor: Dec. 10, 2016, medical
Joseph Bauer: Nov. 16, 2017 suicide by hanging
Augustus Aristotle: Aug. 25, 2018, medical
Jose Reanos-Mendoza: July 18, 2021, medical from head injury from jail fight with TBI investigation resulting in conviction of fellow inmate Yoelbis Paz on charges of aggravated assault resulting in death of another
Gage William Dalling: Feb. 4, 2022 TBI investigation
Charles Omotunde Taiwo: Feb. 6, 2022, medical
Source: Rutherford County Sheriff's Office
Individuals with ties to the case
Jose Reanos-Mendoza, referred to as Jose or Mr. Mendoza in the story: the inmate who died of a head injury July 18, 2021, the day after a jail fight over sack lunches
Yoelbis Paz: the inmate serving a maximum six-year state prison sentence for aggregated assault in causing the death of Jose
James "Jimmy" Turner: the Circuit Court judge who sentenced Paz Aug. 11, 2022
Rosa Maria Mendoza Cruz: the mother of Jose, who is suing Rutherford County for failing to keep her son safe in the jail
Adan Cruz: the brother of Jose
David J. Weissman: the Nashville attorney who filed the lawsuit for Jose's mother
Nick Christiansen: the appointed Rutherford County attorney defending the government in lawsuit
Mike Fitzhugh: the sheriff of Rutherford County who won reelection August 2022
Chris Fly: the former sheriff's deputy chief over jail operations when Jose died
Kevin Henderson: the sheriff's current chief deputy over jail operations who started November 2021 and replaced Fly
Sources: records from Rutherford County Circuit Court and Adult Detention Center
Timeline of events
April 9, 2021: A state trooper brings Yoelbis Paz to be booked at Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on charges that included resisting arrest, theft, tampering with evidence and simple possession of marijuana
April 18, 2021: Jail staff write up Paz for participation of a fight involving a sack lunch
June 22, 2021: Jail staff book Jose Reanos-Mendoza on misdemeanor charges of failing to appear in court
July 17, 2021: Jose has head injury after Paz initiated a fight over sack lunch dispute; jail nurses treated Jose and emergency responders arrived to transport him to TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center in Smyrna for initial hospital treatment before he was transferred to TriStar Skyline Medical Center in Nashville
July 18, 2021: Jose dies from his head injuries at Nashville hospital
Aug. 2, 2021: Paz charged with aggravated assault resulting in death of another (Jose)
Aug. 20, 2021: Rutherford County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Chris Fly resigns from his oversight of jail operations
Nov. 1, 2021: New Chief Deputy Kevin Henderson starts job to oversee jail operations after accepting position from Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh
June 30, 2022: Wrongful death lawsuit filed against Rutherford County by Rosa Maria Mendoza Cruz, mother of Jose, through Nashville attorney David J. Weissman
Aug. 4, 2022: Sheriff Fitzhugh wins reelection
Aug. 11, 2022: Circuit Court Judge James "Jimmy" Turner sentences Paz to a six-year state prison sentence after guilty plea
Sept. 26, 2022: Rutherford County Attorney Nick Christiansen files answer to lawsuit that denies wrongdoing or liability by government and asks court to dismiss the case
Sources: records from Rutherford County Circuit Court Clerk's Office and Adult Detention Center
About Rutherford County Adult Detention Center
Address: 940 New Salem Highway, Murfreesboro
Nickname of jail by inmates and others: "940"
Budgeted full-time jail staff: 204
Budgeted part-time jail staff: 3
Jail staff openings for detention deputies: 40
Range of starting pay for detention deputies: $42,750 to $45,878
Website to apply for jail job: https://rutherfordcountytn.mysmarthire.com/jobs/10910.html.
Jail inmate beds: 956
Inmates as of Aug. 10, 2023: 739
Note: Jail in past years experienced overcrowding prior to 2019 when Rutherford County Commission adopted a pretrial release policy that allowed eligible people facing first-time nonviolent misdemeanor charges to be provided a court date and avoid being booked at adult detention center
Sources: Rutherford County government records
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Inmate death following fight over jail lunch sparks ongoing lawsuit
