Family of man who died in prison pledges to fight for answers from state DOC officials

The family of a Dickson County man who died last month in a state prison says state officials are not being truthful about the death and they fear for the safety of another family member in the same facility. 34-year-old William Earl “Beetle” Burgess Jr. died Jan. 26 in the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, where he was serving a 12-year sentence for burglary and theft. Tennessee Department of Correction Communications Officer Dorinda Carter said there were “no obvious signs of foul play” and the death is under investigation. Correction officials have not answered any requests for details of Burgess’ death and said they are awaiting the results of an examination by the state Medical Examiner, whose office said last week the report has not been completed. But Burgess’ sister says state officials are telling her family “a bunch of lies” in regard to the death. In an email to WDKN, Lisa Thompson says there were bruises all over her brother’s body and he had two black eyes as well as bruises around his mouth and chin when the family buried him. Thompson says she has another brother in the same prison and “we are in fear for his life,” and that when she and other family members went to visit him, prison officials “treated our family like criminals.” Department of Correction officials have not responded to any of the family’s allegations. A Medical Examiner’s Office spokesperson said it can take as long as 90 days for a report to be issued on the death. In her email, Thompson said her family will keep pressing the investigation. “We will never stop until we find out what happened to our precious brother Beetle,” Thompson says.