Bradley County Inmate Death Starts TBI Investigation

BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)-Three correctional officers are suspended pending an investigation of the death of a Bradley County inmate who died this past Sunday.

Chief Brian Smith has ordered an Internal-Affairs investigation to run parallel to the investigation currently being conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation regarding the death of inmate, 41-year-old Ralph Lee Nelms.

Ralph Nelms originally was facing three counts of Burglary, Theft over $1,000 and Theft over $500.

Nelms was also connected to a string of burglaries before being detained in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Dep. Gabe Black, Dep. Ron Reddish, and Sgt. Tim Boyd are the Correction’s officers suspended.

No further details are being released at this time until the investigation is concluded.