By Isaac Wright
The Lebanon Democrat, Tenn.
HARTSVILLE, Tenn. — District Attorney General Jason Lawson is calling for the state to take over the nearby prison near Hartsville after a riot occurred Sunday night leading to a hostage situation.
Trousdale County Sheriff’s Office said around 10 p.m. a riot was reported at the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center during a lock-down time. Initial reports said three guards were taken hostage, but CoreCivic Senior Director of Public Affairs Ryan Gustin said further investigation showed that to be untrue.
CoreCivic is the private company which manages the correctional facility.
Inmates took over a control room, vandalized equipment, set fires and released nearly 100 other inmates to the yard. Authorities say none of them escaped the prison grounds.
One guard was assaulted and transported to a hospital for minor injuries.
How can a single corrections officer overcome multiple attackers? The video below discusses 12 recommendations COs can take in the event of an attack.
Law enforcement officials from several nearby counties, including Wilson County, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to the incident Sunday night. All inmates were contained around 1 a.m., officials said.
“Last night’s riot again illustrates the problems at Trousdale Turner, which have been well-documented in the media,” Lawson said. “Certainly, those who led and participated in the riot will be charged, prosecuted, and have more incarceration heaped on top of the sentences they are currently serving — some which are already very lengthy.”
In the wake of the riot, DA Lawson has called for the Tennessee Department of Correction to assume management of Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, which has been the subject of controversies including several guards arrested for contraband and other crimes.
“Over the past few years, the Trousdale County Grand Jury has added hundreds of new cases to the criminal court docket for crimes occurring at the prison, at a rate of roughly one crime for every four calendar days, which has resulted in many years of additional incarceration,” Lawson said. “But a response by the court system is an ‘after-the-fact’ response and does not ensure the future safety of inmates or employees at the prison.”
CoreCivic said the prison is on lockdown until further notice while the riot is investigated. TDOC also said they are keeping a close eye on the situation.
Another incident from the weekend involved two inmates allegedly assaulting an officer at the correctional center, which is also under investigation by the TDOC.
“The continual problems demonstrate that CoreCivic is unable to address the issues. I understand that Tennessee needs the bed space at Trousdale Turner to house state prisoners. However, it is long overdue that the State of Tennessee shifted the management of Trousdale Turner from CoreCivic into the direct hands of the Tennessee Department of Correction,” Lawson added. “I am confident that Commissioner Strada and the Tennessee Department of Correction could manage this situation far better than what is being done by CoreCivic.”
—
© 2025 The Lebanon Democrat, Tenn.. Visit www.lebanondemocrat.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.