Confidential Settlement — Butler County Jail Suicide (Lee)

On February 10, 2013 Timothy Lee of rural Dexter, Missouri took his life by hanging in the Butler County Jail. His death was a result of a systems break down in law enforcement with the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department and the Butler County Sheriff's Department/Jail being a part of the failure.

On Sunday, February 3, 2013, Tim Lee, called his mother in the early morning hours asking her to pick him up at a local hotel. He had been separated from his wife of many years and he was upset and intoxicated. His estranged wife lived a few doors down from Tim's mother and when Tim got home he grabbed a gun and went to his wife's house to wait for her to return home. Tim's mother called the Dexter Police and the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department. After arriving at the home the officers took Tim into custody. He was intoxicated, homicidal and suicidal. Rather than seeking mental health treatment, they called a bondsman in Poplar Bluff—he had charges pending in Poplar Bluff—to see if he wanted to take custody of the intoxicated, homicidal, suicidal person. Craig Meador was the bondsman and said yes, he would take him to the Butler County Jail. Meador met a deputy at the Stoddard/Butler County line. There was absolutely no exchange of information between Defendant Meador and the Deputy as to the background for why Tim Lee was arrested that morning. Tim was taken to the Butler County Jail, was allowed to keep his long sleeve thermal shirt. Seven days later, he took his life using the shirt as a ligature. Senior Partner, Steve Walsh, sued Sheriff Hefner, Chief Deputy Tommy Horton, the bondsman, Craig Meador and Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs and the jailers responsible for the care of Tim Lee while he was incarcerated. Stoddard County, the Sheriff and Chief Deputy were sued for failure to attend to Tim's medical/psychiatric problems; and, for failing to transfer information of the condition of Tim just before handing Tim over to the bail bondsman.

The case settled for a confidential amount at the mediation with John Grimm of Cape Girardeau, mediating. All of the funds for the family went to Tim Lee's son, Nathan, who is attending college.