I want to take a moment to address and correct a report published earlier this evening regarding an incident at the W.C. “Dub” Brassell Detention Facility in Jefferson County.
Deltaplex News initially reported that an inmate had died following a medical emergency inside the facility. That information was based on statements from multiple law enforcement sources who spoke off the record. Despite attempts to confirm the information with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, those efforts were unsuccessful prior to publication.
It has since been determined that the information we received was inaccurate. Publishing that report without full verification was a mistake.
I want to sincerely apologize to Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr., the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the community for the error and any confusion or concern it may have caused.
As a journalist, I take full responsibility for this lapse and recognize the importance of ensuring information is fully confirmed before it is shared with the public. I am committed to learning from this and doing better moving forward.
Thank you for your understanding.
Regretfully,
Luke Matheson
