Tennessee
Lawsuit: Children with disabilities in Tennessee custody subject to ‘barbaric violence’
Three families have sued Tennessee and its Department of Children’s Services (DCS), alleging unconstitutional mistreatment and “barbaric violence” faced by young people with disabilities in juvenile detention centers.
The sweeping 114-page lawsuit, filed in federal court on Wednesday, alleges multiple instances of children being subject to violent assaults from facility staff and other residents, including one instance of multiple staff allegedly pepper spraying a shackled boy who was then blocked from seeking medical care for 12 hours.
The plaintiffs also named Tennessee Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds in the lawsuit, arguing state officials have failed to provide basic supports for youth in Tennessee custody such as education and mental and medical health care. The lawsuit alleges at least one child was held in solitary confinement for 23 hours per day and not allowed to attend school. Staff instead slid homework packets under his door, plaintiffs allege.
“All children deserve appropriate education and healthcare. All children deserve to feel safe,” Jasmine Miller, an attorney on the case from the Youth Law Center, said in a news release. “Across the country, we are seeing real progress in juvenile justice reform and how the most vulnerable youth are treated once they enter the system. Unfortunately, Tennessee is not progressing.”
The complaint alleges the defendants fail to screen youth in their custody for disabilities and provide accommodations or treatment, and instead punish the children for the symptoms of their disabilities, “using violent and abusive measures like solitary confinement, pepper spray, and peer-on-peer violence as behavior management tools.”
Disability Rights Tennessee, a nonprofit legal services organization, is both a plaintiff in the lawsuit and part of the legal team suing the state. The children currently or formerly in DCS custody, who are identified by pseudonyms in the lawsuit, are seeking to make the lawsuit a class action on behalf of all young people with disabilities in or “at imminent risk” of being in DCS custody. A judge will have to decide whether to certify the class.
“The State should recognize disabilities and trauma in the youth they serve and address those disabilities instead of ignoring them. They should provide safe environments,” Jack Derryberry, Disability Rights Tennessee’s legal director, said in the news release. “We have spent the last two years doing everything in our power to effect change in these systems, without success. At this point, we have no choice but to ask the Courts to step in to protect those who cannot protect themselves.”
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, which represents the state in lawsuits, did not respond to a request for comment sent shortly before noon Wednesday.
Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMealins.
Tennessee
Where Tennessee Baseball Players, Commits Land In Final MLB Mock Drafts, Rankings | Rocky Top Insider
The 2026 MLB Draft gets underway on Saturday afternoon to jump start MLB All-Star game festivities in Philadelphia. The two-day, 20-round draft is a highly important once for Tennessee baseball. While there are fewer current Vols projected to be selected, there will be no shortage of Tennessee prep signees and transfer commits who are draft risks.
We’ve compiled a number of both mock drafts and overall draft prospect rankings from a multitude of outlets that give us a look at where Tennessee players, transfers and commits could go. There’s a handful of Tennessee transfer commits who are not listed but are also draft risks including Wright State outfielder Andrew Duncan, Baylor shortstop Travis Sanders, FIU infielder Mario Trivella and Clemson right-handed pitcher Hayden Simmerson.
Taking a look at the mock drafts and draft rankings here.
More From RTI: Clemson Transfer Pitcher Commits To Tennessee Baseball
Current Tennessee player. Tennessee transfer commit. Tennessee high school signee
Mock Drafts
ESPN Two-Round Mock Draft
- LHP/OF Jared Grindlinger — No. 11 to Kansas City
- OF Trevor Condon — No. 14 to Miami
- RHP Tegan Kuhns — No. 34 to Pittsburgh
- RHP Kaiden McCarthy — No. 51 to Pittsburgh
The Athletic One-Round Mock Draft
- LHP/OF Jared Grindlinger — No. 11 to Baltimore
- RHP Tegan Kuhns — No. 24 to Seattle
CBS One-Round Mock Draft
- LHP/OF Jared Grindlinger — No. 18 to Cincinnati
Prospect Rankings
MLB Pipeline Top 250
- OF Trevor Condon — No. 13
- LHP/OF Jared Grindlinger — No. 16
- RHP Tegan Kuhns — No. 25
- RHP Kaiden McCarthy — No. 61
- RHP/SS Cole Koeninger — No. 99
- SS Jack Dugan — No. 106
- C Sean Dunlap — No. 124
- RHP Shawn Sullivan — No. 132
- RHP Tyler Putnam — No. 139
- RHP Gary Morse — No. 141
- 3B/OF Henry Ford — No. 148
- LHP Jake McCoy — No. 152
- C/OF Garrett Wright — No. 190
- RHP Cannon Grant — No. 212
- RHP Bo Rhudy — No. 219
- LHP Ricky Ojeda — No. 243
ESPN Top 250
- LHP/OF Jared Grindlinger — No. 11
- OF Trevor Condon — No. 16
- RHP Tegan Kuhns — No. 32
- C Sean Dunlap — No. 49
- RHP Kaiden McCarthy — No. 52
- RHP Gary Morse — No. 98
- RHP/SS Cole Koeninger — No. 107
- SS Jack Dugan — No. 109
- RHP Tyler Putnam — No. 112
- RHP Cannon Grant — No. 125
- 1B Cody Boshell — No. 142
- LHP Jake McCoy — No. 156
- C/OF Garrett Wright — No. 162
- 3B/OF Henry Ford — No. 183
- RHP Bo Rhudy — No. 201
Perfect Game Top 400
- LHP/OF Jared Grindlinger — No. 16
- OF Trevor Condon — No. 29
- RHP Tegan Kuhns — No. 50
- RHP Kaiden McCarthy — No. 51
- RHP/SS Cole Koeninger — No. 62
- C Sean Dunlap — No. 68
- 3B/OF Henry Ford — No. 134
- 1B/OF AJ Curry — No. 153
- RHP Cannon Grant — No. 176
- RHP Tyler Putnam — No. 190
- SS Jack Dugan — No. 201
- LHP Jake McCoy — No. 227
- RHP Shawn Sullivan — No. 231
- RHP Gary Morse — No. 241
- LHP Ricky Ojeda — No. 251
- RHP Bo Rhudy 255
- SS Jaxson Wood — No. 262
- C/OF Garrett Wright — No. 269
- LHP Brandon Arvidson — No. 274
- SS Manny Marin — No. 375
- OF Reese Chapman — No. 386
- LHP Drew Christine — No. 387
Sissy arrived at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee in 2000, where caretakers began monitoring and managing her osteoarthritis. Sanctuary leaders said a recent progression of the disease caused what they described as “clear signs” of pain and swelling in her right wrist.
JACKSON, Tenn. (WBBJ) – The Tennessee Highway Patrol held an open house Thursday at the THP Jackson District Office in West Madison County for those interested in becoming a state trooper.
Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the various operations of the THP and the roles the department offers.
Trooper Tiffanie Williams said the career comes with competitive benefits and a sense of community responsibility.
“What makes us a good career choice is, one, base your retirement plan is pretty good, your benefits are pretty good. Also, just giving back to the community — we kind of hold ourselves to a higher standard,” Williams said.
For more information about the Tennessee Highway Patrol and how to get involved, click here.
Copyright 2026 WBBJ. All rights reserved.
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