12-02-2025
Trousdale Turner places warden on administrative leave amid DOJ investigation
Tennessee's largest private prison has placed its warden on administrative leave as it faces an ongoing federal investigation into alleged civil rights violations.
Vince Vantell has been the warden at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center since February 2023, marking the sixth warden to oversee the troubled prison since it opened in Trousdale County in 2016.
The facility, run by Brentwood-based private prison giant CoreCivic, has long been plagued with chronic understaffing, high rates of drug overdoses and deaths, and droves of lawsuits.
CoreCivic spokesperson Brian Todd in a statement Wednesday confirmed Vantell's administrative leave but did not provide details as the reason.
"In his absence, we have the assistant warden and other key leaders ensuring that the safety and well-being of every person in our care remains a top priority for our leadership and the staff at TTCC," Todd said.
Vantell previously served as warden at Hardeman County Correctional Facility and Whiteville Correctional Facility. Vantell began his corrections career with CoreCivic in 1997.
In August, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights probe into the problems at the Trousdale Turner, noting that the state of Tennessee is ultimately responsible for the treatment of incarcerated people.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Trousdale Turner places warden on leave amid DOJ investigation
