John Bishop, detention chief of the Cleveland County Detention Center, resigned Monday, the same day a detention officer was hospitalized after being assaulted by an inmate.
In his resignation letter, which was sent to Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason, Bishop did not provide a reason for his resignation but wrote it was effective immediately.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office wrote detention officer Lydia Saunders was assaulted while conducting routine site checks in a female segregation pod around 2:12 p.m.
Donna Lair, an inmate with three felony counts of assault and battery, was out of her cell for scheduled recreational time when the assault occurred. The post did not specify if Lair was the perpetrator.
According to the post, Saunders was taken to OU Medical Center’s trauma unit with a broken nose, lacerations and multiple contusions. Saunders has since been released, according to the post.
Lair is facing additional charges of aggravated assault and battery and assault with a dangerous weapon after the incident.
“We are thankful for the rapid response of our staff and that Detention Officer Saunders is recovering,” Amason said in the post. “This office remains committed to her full support and to pursuing justice in this case.”
OU Daily emailed the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office to ask if Bishop’s resignation was related to the assault.
Amason sent an email to OU Daily stating they had no comment.
“As a matter of policy, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office does not comment on personnel matters or internal employment decisions,” Amason wrote. “We appreciate your understanding.”
Bishop was hired as a detention major in November 2023 and served until he was named detention chief in July. Bishop worked as an officer, detective, sergeant and captain for the OU Police Department from 1992 to 2024.
Background
Nine inmates have died in the Cleveland County Detention Center over the past three years. In January, Jacob Shane Dieball was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in his cell bunk. Before Dieball’s death, an eighth death was announced in October, preceded by two deaths in August, where both inmates died by suicide.
In August, the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners approved a contract with SIMCo Correctional Consulting — a firm specializing in the operation and safety of correctional facilities — to investigate potential causes of deaths within the Cleveland County Detention Center.
In May 2024, inmate Thomas Sanchez Pesina, 58, was pronounced dead at Norman Regional Hospital. A month prior, William Kenneth Moore, 36, died in custody after a medical episode. In February 2023, Joe Allen Sims Jr., 44, died by suicide while in custody.
Shannon Hanchett, known as the Cookie Queen who ran a bakery in downtown Norman, died in the Cleveland County jail on Dec. 8, 2022, after being arrested on a complaint of misdemeanor obstruction and false reporting.
In January 2024, a federal lawsuit was filed against the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, Turn Key Health Clinics and three medical professionals who cared for Hanchett in the days leading up to her death. The lawsuit alleged Hanchett had her constitutional rights disregarded by center staff, contributing to her death while in custody, but the lawsuit was dismissed in August.
Shortly after Hanchett’s death, Kathryn Milano, 66, died in custody on Dec. 20, 2022, after suffering a medical emergency “related to pre-existing medical conditions,” according to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office.
This story was edited by Ismael Lele, Ana Barboza and Anusha Fathepure. Tori Pham and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
