Family Of Kelsey Wolfe Sues Cocke County

The family of an inmate who died while in the custody of the Cocke County Sheriff’s office is suing the county over her death. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Greeneville by the family of Kelsey Wolfe also names former sheriff Armando Fontes, Jail Administrator Josh Hartsell and Captain Bob Schaff. The lawsuit does not state whether it is suing the three in their official capacity within the county government or as individuals. The lawsuit states in part that the county and the sheriff’s office knew of dangerous and defective conditions within the jail. The suit contends also that jail staff should have known about Wolfe’s drug problem.

In its response, Cocke County says that Wolfe had been incarcerated for quite some time before her death and that drug habits known at the time of her arrest would have been irrelevant at the time of her death. The county also stated that Wolfe was not required to be under any special supervision at the time of her death. The plaintiffs are seeking $12 million in compensatory damages and another $20 million in punitive damages, making this a $32 million lawsuit against the county. Kelsey Wolfe was found dead in the jail back in August of 2021.