Washington County, Tennessee Sheriff Ed Graybeal named in $15 million civil suit in death of inmate

The fiance of a Johnson City man beaten to death in the Washington County Detention Center has filed a $15 million civil suit against Sheriff Ed Graybeal and members of his staff.

According to documents in US District Court in Greeneville, the suit was filed on the anniversary of the death of Joseph Lockner, 29. The suit claims Graybeal’s office placed Lockner in a cell with violent offenders due to overcrowding issues and failed to provide Lockner with timely medical treatment following an assault that left the inmate dead from blunt force trauma.

Six inmates were indicted for Lockner’s death and four of them have been sentenced, including John Woodard who received six years in prison for reckless homicide.

(PHOTO: WCDC)