HAMMOND - The family of a man who was killed hours after being booked into jail on a probation violation is still questioning the decision to house him in the regular prison population.
Tommy Joe Smith, 40, was killed in what the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office described as a 'shark-feeding frenzy, when at least a dozen inmates apparently beat him to death after one struck him as he was trying to ask to leave the cell.
"There's still so many questions," said Smith's family in a statement given to the media. "Did they still not take into account that they put him in the wrong cell, due to his charge? Things will never be the same for us."
Smith died on Jan. 30 after the beating, the details of which are gruesome.
According to the sheriff's office, Smith was booked into the parish jail and after being booked and processed, he was placed in a dorm with 21 other inmates.
An investigation showed Smith was trying to find a place to sleep in the two-story dorm area and he was told by inmates on the second floor that he wasn't welcome. He then apparently grabbed his mat and went downstairs.
The sheriff's office said he met with the same problems on the first floor. At that point he apparently tried to call the deputy to request out of the dorm when he was struck from behind by an inmate.
Smith turned around to defend himself and was attacked by several inmates. The sheriff's office described the attack as "vicious" with one inmate telling deputies that it was a "shark-feeding frenzy."
The deputy in control of the area notified jail staff and there was an attempt to perform CPR.
Twelve fellow inmates, one of whom was a juvenile, were arrested. Eleven were booked with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice. Two inmates were also booked with robbery for stealing Smith's shoes during the attack.
The inmates accused in the attack are: Herman Bagent, 20; Brent Collins, 30; Lionel Brister, 22; Randall Holmes, 27; James Milton, 23; Eric Newman, 18; William Patterson, 22; Tyquan Davis, 22; Antwon Seymore, 19; Ronald Faulkner, 38; Travis Robertson, 28, and the unnamed juvenile inmate. Faulkner and Robertson were also booked with second-degree robbery.
"News of this unprovoked and heinous attack is extremely troubling. We strive to provide safety to all those in Tangipahoa Parish, including those incarcerated within the Tangipahoa Parish Jail. Through an investigative account of this incident, it has been discovered all protocols relating to a response to such an event were preformed expeditiously. Unfortunately, due to the number of individuals involved in the altercation, along with the incident occurring within a secured environment, our victim was limited with an escape. This type of environment provides many limitations when taking into account the safety of staff, emergency medical responders, as well as the inmates themselves," says Edwards.
