In May 2017, a 28-year-old Black man named Tory Sanders found himself in a tragic and fatal encounter with law enforcement in a rural Missouri jail. His ordeal began when he took a wrong turn, got lost, and ran out of gas. Seeking help, he approached the police and expressed a need to see a mental health professional, citing concerns for his life and the lives of his children. He was then taken into custody at the Mississippi County Jail.
A mental health counselor at the jail determined that Sanders was experiencing paranoia, likely due to substance use, and recommended that he be hospitalized for observation.
Despite this recommendation, Sanders remained in the jail. Hours later, a team of officers and jailers, led by then-Sheriff Cory Hutcheson, entered his cell. An altercation ensued, during which Sanders was reportedly tackled, pepper-sprayed, and shocked with a stun gun. According to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his family, Hutcheson then knelt on Sanders' neck for up to three minutes, even as another officer pleaded with him to stop. Sanders lost consciousness and died shortly thereafter. The incident drew comparisons to the death of George Floyd, as both men died after a law enforcement officer knelt on their necks.
The aftermath of Tory Sanders' death involved multiple investigations and conflicting medical opinions. While a pathologist hired by Sanders' family concluded that he died from asphyxiation due to the compression of his neck during the restraint, other medical experts determined the cause of death to be 'excited delirium.' Toxicology reports showed the presence of methamphetamine and cocaine in his system, which some pathologists argued contributed to his death. These experts contended that the physical force used by law enforcement did not directly cause his death.
Ultimately, no criminal charges were filed in connection with Tory Sanders' death. Both the former Missouri Attorney General, Josh Hawley, and his successor, Eric Schmitt, declined to prosecute, citing insufficient evidence to prove first or second-degree murder. The statute of limitations for lesser charges like manslaughter had expired by the time of the final decision. In response to her son's death, Sanders' mother maintained that he was murdered. The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit, and in April 2021, the city of Charleston, Missouri, agreed to a $500,000 settlement. The former sheriff, Cory Hutcheson, later resigned and was sentenced to federal prison for unrelated crimes.
