Attorney General’s Office pursuing broader criminal review of Mississippi County Jail

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley announced on Tuesday that his office is pursuing a broader criminal and civil review of the Mississippi County Jail facility and Sheriff Corey Hutcheson.

The decision comes after findings by three medical experts that the death of Tory Sanders, a man who died in protective custody in the jail, was a result of a medical condition known as excited delirium.

Hawley said homicide charges are not being pursued against Hutcheson in the death of Sanders. However, Hawley’s office will continue to investigate the matter.

Sanders’ death is the latest in a series of at least three incidents of deaths that occurred at the Mississippi County Jail in recent years.

The Attorney General’s Office is pursuing a broader civil and criminal review of the facility. The review will seek to determine whether any other civil or criminal proceedings might be warranted due to the other deaths.

Hawley said his office continues to pursue criminal charges against Hutcheson for robbery, assault, tampering with computer data, forgery making a false document and other crimes.

The Attorney General’s Office is also pursuing a civil proceeding to prevent Hutcheson from continuing to be a sheriff.

“There is a troubling pattern of deaths and inappropriate conduct at the Mississippi County Jail,” Hawley said. “I remain deeply concerned about the training, supervision, and practices in this facility. This office will continue to investigate to determine if charges are warranted in other instances.”