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Retired Pastor with Dementia Dies After 9 HOURS in Restraint Chair (with a hood over his head)
The Civil Rights Lawyer Youtube ^ | February 18, 2026 | The Civil Rights Lawyer

Posted on 02/18/2026 4:31:58 PM PST by Morgana

Officers were dispatched to a business to assist an elderly customer who appeared to be suffering from dementia. At the scene, officers found him extremely confused. He told them the year was 1948 and that the president was George Washington. So they call his daughter to come pick him up. So how did things go so terribly wrong that day, that this 74 year old man ended up dying alone in a jail cell 9 hours later, confined in a restraint chair with a hood over his head? The story of Lester Isbill is one that could happen to anyone. He wasn’t a criminal. He was a good man. He had committed no crime. Yet he would nevertheless fall victim to this terrible death at the hands of the very people who were supposed to protect and care for him.

(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...


TOPICS: Local News; Religion
KEYWORDS: dementia; elderabuse

1 posted on 02/18/2026 4:31:58 PM PST by Morgana
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To: Morgana

Was Spitting involved. A Notre Dame player learned that lesson the hard way before a Gator Bowl a few years ago.


2 posted on 02/18/2026 4:50:08 PM PST by PAR35
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To: Morgana
Summary of the Lester Isbell case:

On February 6, 2025, 74-year-old Lester Isbell (also referred to as Elijah "Lester" Isbill), a retired preacher from Monroe County, Tennessee, with health issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, mild dementia, and prior strokes, became disoriented and confused while at Security Finance in Madisonville to pay a bill.

Employees called 911 for assistance with the elderly man showing signs of confusion (believing the year was 1948 and the president was George Washington). Madisonville police officers (Foister/Foerster and Moore) responded around 12:30 p.m., observed his incoherence, high blood pressure, low pulse/oxygen (indicating a possible hypertensive crisis or medical emergency), and contacted his daughter.

Despite no crime committed and clear medical distress, officers gave him ultimatums: hospital, daughter pickup, or jail. When he resisted and tried to walk away (including urinating on himself), they arrested him for disorderly conduct around 1:18 p.m., after his daughter signed a medical refusal form under the impression he'd get care. Officers allegedly fabricated justifications post-arrest, claiming he might be under the influence.

He was transported to Monroe County Jail, where TK Health (contracted medical provider) staff were involved. Despite prior knowledge of his conditions from a recent DUI arrest (later dismissed), he wasn't placed in a padded cell. He fell and hit his head/face on a concrete bench shortly after booking, suffering visible injury, but received no immediate assessment.

Around 1:50 p.m., he was forcibly stripped (pants removed) and strapped into a restraint chair (with chest, waist, arms, legs secured) in a non-padded cell, facing away from observation. A spit hood was later added (around 3:50–4:00 p.m.). Manufacturer guidelines limit use to ~2 hours max, but he remained restrained continuously for over 9 hours (until ~10:50–11:00 p.m.), without food, water, bathroom breaks, vital checks, or proper monitoring. He showed ongoing distress (writhing, incoherent speech, discolored extremities, dehydration signs), and staff (including LPNs Courtney Woods and Greg Mills) allegedly failed to intervene adequately—some even laughed or ignored him.

He stopped breathing and died in the chair. He was pronounced after EMS arrival. An amended autopsy classified the death as homicide, citing hypertensive/atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease complicated by prolonged restraint and dehydration (contributing factors included brain stroke areas).The Monroe County Sheriff initially defended staff actions (except minor issues like an obscene gesture to camera), suspended some with pay, and blamed TK Health. Prosecutors indicted 7 individuals in September 2025: 5 former jail deputies/corrections officers for official misconduct/false reports, LPN Courtney Woods for criminally negligent homicide, and LPN Greg Mills for false reporting. They were arraigned in October 2025; cases remain pending.

A federal civil rights lawsuit was filed February 6, 2026, by Isbell's estate against the City of Madisonville, officers Foister and Moore, TK Health, and employees Woods and Mills (alleging false arrest, deliberate indifference to medical needs, excessive force via restraint, etc.). Monroe County previously settled for $1.9 million before this suit.

The case highlights failures in handling medical/mental health crises, restraint misuse, and accountability in custody, drawing scrutiny to jail practices nationwide. Criminal and civil proceedings are ongoing.

3 posted on 02/18/2026 4:53:47 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Democracy dies with Democrats.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

WHERE THE HE!! WAS HIS DAUGHTER THE ENTIRE TIME HE WAS IN JAIL? SHE should have been more concerned for her father’s well being. Im thanking she didnt care until a possible payday appeared.


4 posted on 02/18/2026 5:09:21 PM PST by Ikeon (Life is hard, its harder if you are stupid. )
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To: Ikeon
Im smh, over the actions of his daughter and the jail petsonal. I get that it was a friday night. Where was the jail nurse??

The daughter signed a refusalfor her father's medical care!!

She let him be taken to jail instead of the hospital, she let him die.*spit!!*

5 posted on 02/18/2026 5:14:56 PM PST by Ikeon (Life is hard, its harder if you are stupid. )
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To: Morgana

Did you see this guy’s video on the Pretti killing?


6 posted on 02/18/2026 5:52:22 PM PST by Kleon
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To: Morgana

Speechless


7 posted on 02/18/2026 6:31:50 PM PST by Sequoyah101
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To: Ikeon

whether or not he even had a daughter has no bearing on the issue of his death by official custody..


8 posted on 02/18/2026 6:57:45 PM PST by A strike (UK/EU: "Let's you and him fight" u.s,russia)
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To: Ikeon
his daughter signed a medical refusal form under the impression he'd get care.

I don't understand this part.

9 posted on 02/18/2026 6:59:29 PM PST by A_perfect_lady (The greatest wealth is to live content with little. -Plato)
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To: Kleon

I did.


10 posted on 02/18/2026 7:04:17 PM PST by sport
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To: Ikeon
THIS . . . is just one reason why I don't like humanity and whey maybe . . . just MAYBE . . . living alone is better for me, in spite of the associated risks.

And it's also why the aliens roll up their windows when they fly by earth.

11 posted on 02/18/2026 7:07:10 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (FBI out of Florida!)
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To: Ikeon

When I was in corrections those confined to a restraint chair were checked by a nurse and a supervisor every 2 hours, with regular rounds by coreectional staff every 30 minutes. Water and restroom breaks were given based on the levels of prisoner compliance.

CC


12 posted on 02/18/2026 7:21:44 PM PST by Celtic Conservative (Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam!)
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To: All
Moving forward ...


AI Overview
Seven Monroe County Justice Center staff members, including 
two nurses and five correction officers, were indicted and 
charged following the February 2025 death of inmate Lester 
Isbill, who died after over nine hours in a restraint chair. 
The charges range from criminally negligent homicide to 
official misconduct. 

Charged Individuals:
Courtney Woods (Nurse): Indicted on criminally negligent homicide.
Greg Mills (Nurse): Indicted on false reports.
Correction Officers: Former Corporal Jiren Henry, Corporal 
Elijah Spencer, Tyler Finger, Tommy Reagan, and Sergeant 
Joshua Duncan were indicted on official misconduct. 

Case Details:
Incident: Lester Isbill, 74, was arrested for disorderly 
conduct and held in a restraint chair for over nine hours, 
including seven hours with a hood, without food, water, or 
restroom breaks.

Cause of Death: Initially ruled natural causes, the autopsy 
was later amended to homicide, leading to the charges.

Status: All seven were arraigned, and their next court date 
is scheduled for late February 2026.

13 posted on 02/18/2026 7:29:59 PM PST by af_vet_1981 ( The bus came by and I got on, That's wh</en it all began.)
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To: Celtic Conservative

what language is your tag ?
and intended to convey what exactly ?


14 posted on 02/18/2026 9:25:30 PM PST by A strike (GB,F,D : "Let's you and him fight" u.s,russia)
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To: Morgana

I watched the video earlier today ...

Every public servant involved should be on trial for murder.


15 posted on 02/18/2026 9:29:14 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: A strike

It’s Klingon. It says “Today Is A Good Day To Die!”, a Klingon aphorism.

CC


16 posted on 02/18/2026 9:45:21 PM PST by Celtic Conservative (Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam!)
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To: A_perfect_lady

She signed her father’s death certificate - thats a metaphore- and went home instead of going to jail to bail him out ASAP.


17 posted on 02/19/2026 2:09:48 AM PST by Ikeon (Life is hard, its harder if you are stupid. )
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