Spartanburg County Detention Center reports second inmate death of 2023. What we know.

Chalmers Rogland, Herald-Journal
·2 min read
The Spartanburg County Detention Center was the focus of a lawsuit brought against jail administrators over the handling of COVID-19 procedures.

A second Spartanburg County Detention Center death in 2023 occurred last week, according to a release from Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger.

Forrest Edward Taylor III, 42, was declared dead at 1:20 p.m. on Thursday, March 2, according to the coroner's office. A forensic exam was performed on March 3.

"(Taylor) was discovered unresponsive at the Spartanburg County Jail, where life-saving attempts were made by jail staff and the emergency medical services," Clevenger said in a press release Friday evening. "He was transported to Spartanburg Regional where he was pronounced (dead). Our investigation continues with an autopsy and toxicology testing."

Clevenger also noted that "we do not see unexplained injuries to his person."

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has an active investigation. On Monday afternoon, SLED Public Information Officer Renee Wunderlich said there are no further updates, citing that it is an open and active case.

Related:Report details deaths in SC prisons, jails, more died in Spartanburg jail than others.

The Greenville News and Spartanburg Herald-Journal recently reported on findings by Incarceration Transparency South Carolina that documented the number of deaths in South Carolina jails, prisons and detention centers between 2015 and 2021.

The project, supported by a professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law, found Tyger River Correctional Institution and Livesay Correctional Institution in Spartanburg County reported 18 and 5 deaths, respectively.

Spartanburg County Detention Center had 18 deaths over the seven-year period, more than any other county jail in the state, according to the data in the report. Clevenger said that there were five deaths at SCDC in 2022.

On Jan. 31, Clevenger said his office was called regarding the death of Casey Michelle Tate, 33, who was also an SCDC inmate.

Clevenger said late Monday afternoon that Tate's manner of death was ruled natural because of "natural disease processes." He added that the case is active as SLED continues its investigation.

Clevenger previously said on Feb. 1 that his office's investigation did not show foul play and Tate was being treated at SRMC at the time of her death for, "[a] number of natural processes."

The Herald-Journal has requested copies of the coroner's reports from Clevenger for both Taylor and Tate.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Spartanburg County Detention Center reports second inmate death of 2023. What we know.