Wrestling legend Jerry “The King” Lawler is suing the a sheriff’s department over his son Brian Christopher’s tragic suicide. In July 2018, Brian — who wrestled under the moniker Grandmaster Sexay — was arrested on charges of DUI and evading police. While in his jail cell he was attacked by another inmate, and subsequently moved to solitary confinement. There, Brian used his shoelaces to hang himself. Lawler is now suing the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Dept. for $3 million, claiming they could have taken measures to make sure that Brian’s death was prevented.
TMZ reports that in Lawler’s suit, he states that he met with the sheriff’s department officials and advised them of Brian’s past issues, while he was still in custody. He claims that he was told that Brian would get the drug and alcohol treatment he needed, but that Brian never received that help.
Videos by PopCulture.com
He also states that a correctional officer walked past Brian’s cell on his way to take out some trash and looked inside, noticing Brian in the corner of the cell with a towel on his head, but continued on his way. When he returned, he looked in again, seeing Brian in the same position, and then called another officer to come check on Brian with him.
The two entered the cell and discovered Brian and hanged himself, but only had a pair of children’s scissors to use for cutting the shoelaces.
Lawler believes that if the department had been better equipped, and if the officer had made it a priority to check on Brian before taking out the trash, then his son may still be here today.
Additionally, Lawler’s attorney, Jeffrey Rosenblum, told TMZ that Brian suffered from depression, and had made suicide attempts before, in 2013 and 2015. They believe that had the sheriff’s department followed proper protocols for deal with an individual that they knew had a history of suicidal behavior, then Brian’s death might have been prevented. Instead, they fault the department for putting Brian in a cell alone with no efforts made to protect him from himself.
Rosenblum says that the $3 million they are suing for will be allocated to supporting Brian’s son. However, he also clarified that the amount is for compensatory damages “with an additional award of punitive damages to be determined by the jury for the benefit of Brian’s minor son.”
Furthermore, Lawler would like an apology from the Sheriff’s Department, as well as a court order “requiring Hardeman County to correct their unconstitutional deficiencies so that no other family has to go through what this family has had to endure over the past year.”
At this time, the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Department does not appear to have commented on the lawsuit.
Photo Credit: Bobby Bank / Getty Images
