UPDATE: Earlier this week, Hardeman County Sheriff John Doolen issued the following statement on Brian Christopher Lawler’s suicide that took place inside of his jail. He said,
Mr. Lawler, a resident of Hardeman County, was arrested for third offense DUI, driving on a revoked driver’s license and felony evading arrest. Mr. Lawler’s bond was set at $40.000. He appeared before the Judge of the General Sessions Court at which time his family requested time to determine if they were going to hire a private attorney or wanted the public defender to represent Mr. Lawler. Mr. Lawler, because of his notoriety, was placed in a cell by himself but as the Sheriff’s Department had no indication he was suicidal, he was not on suicide watch. When Mr. Lawler was discovered, he was given CPR and air lifted to the MED in Memphis. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was notified and requested to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mr. Lawler. Any further information will be provided by Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.”
ORIGINAL: Hardeman County Sheriff John Doolen issued a statement to WMC-TV in Memphis on Brian Christopher’s death. Doolen stated that Christopher was being kept alone in a cell due to his “notoriety”, likely due to his decades of celebrity in Memphis as a professional wrestler locally as well as with WWE. He also noted that there were no indications that Christopher was suicidal following his July 6th arrest. Corrections officers found Christopher hanging in his cell on Saturday evening, immediately began delivering CPR and he was then transported to the hospital. He was taken off of life support yesterday at 4:40 PM ET. At the request of the District Attorney’s office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has opened an investigation into his death.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued the following statement:
“At the request of 25th District Attorney General Mark Davidson, TBI Special Agents are investigating the circumstances surrounding an incident involving an inmate at the Hardeman County Jail. On Saturday evening, Brian C. Lawler (DOB 1/10/72) was found hanging in his cell. Corrections officers administered CPR until paramedics arrived. Lawler was transported to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis where he died Sunday afternoon. Preliminary information indicates the incident does not involve foul play. However, the investigation remains active and ongoing. Lawler was booked into the Hardeman County Jail on July 7th on charges of DUI, Driving on Revoked, and Evading Arrest.”
