A 60-year-old Black man was found unresponsive in his cell, Louisville Metro Department of Corrections officials said in a press release. He had been in custody for 24 hours.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office identified him as Rodney Robinson. A report from the coroner’s office did not specify a manner of death. It said an autopsy is pending.
Officials said officers and medical service staff were unable to revive him. The man was pronounced dead at 11:32 p.m. Wednesday night.
The Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit is investigating the death. An internal investigation by the Metro Corrections Professional Standards Unit will also be conducted, which is standard procedure.
“Our condolences are with the family, as we at LMDC are saddened by this loss of life,” Chief Jerry Collins said in a press release.
Nineteen people have died at the jail since 2021. Last year, three people died in custody. In May, 34-year-old Richard Graham died of a suspected overdose after less than a day in custody. There were two deaths in November: 53-year-old Shawnta Hughes and a Caucasian man died in November. The Jefferson County Coroner’s office was not able to provide identification for the man Thursday.
A 2023 facility audit found that jail staff were not adequately trained to provide basic medical care. It also found Metro Corrections couldn’t access medical professionals quickly and had staffing and security issues.
