A Lake County Circuit Court judge has denied an appeal to stop accused quadruple murderer Austin Drummond from being moved to a state prison. Drummond's attorney had asked the court to overturn an earlier ruling that ordered his transfer from the Obion County jail to a Tennessee Department of Corrections facility. The initial ruling stated that the Lake County jail was "insufficient to house and keep safe this inmate," and that nearby facilities were also considered inadequate, as reported by Local Memphis.
Drummond is currently facing the death penalty for the alleged murder of four family members in Lake County. With the trial set for next year, this legal maneuver to potentially keep Drummond in a county jail rather than a state prison has been struck down. In their decision, the court noted Drummond's significant behavioral problems during his incarceration at Obion County jail. According to The Mountain Press, the sheriff's department "cannot manage the defendant's behavior, and because the defendant's behavior has created a morale issue among the correctional officers at the jail."
Austin Drummond will be held in a state prison while awaiting trial. Judge Mark Hayes cited a "significant behavioral and security risk" in his previous jail, as detailed by Action News 5. The state said the Tennessee Department of Corrections is "equipped and better able to manage inmate problems," while the defense expressed concerns about potential challenges for the trial, as per Local Memphis.
