Inmate, 21, dies at Durham detention center

Durham, N.C. — A 21-year-old inmate died at the Durham County Detention Center last Thursday, the sheriff's office announced Monday.

Detention staffers found Terry Demetrius Lee unconscious in his cell at about 2:20 p.m. They performed CPR until emergency medical personnel arrived.

Paramedics tried to revive him for an extended time, but their efforts were unsuccessful, and Lee was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the sheriff's office. His body was taken to the state medical examiner’s office for examination.

Lee was booked into the jail early Wednesday on several felony charges, and he was being held under a $1,000,500 bond, according to the sheriff's office.

“My thoughts are with the Lee family, and I’m very sorry for their loss,” Sheriff Mike Andrews said in a statement. “My office is conducting an investigation surrounding Mr. Lee’s death, and we have notified the SBI, which is standard procedure.”

Lee was previously in the news in 2008 after a tip to the Fox 50 show, NC Wanted, led to his arrest. The then-16-year-old was accused of robbing and shooting a man.

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Dan Cooper
March 22, 2013 10:05 a.m.

Thank you for posting your experience, @eyaburgess. Unfortunately, many folks here just see someone as 100% good or 100% bad. On or off. Forever.

And if you stick around for a while, you'll see calls for the death penalty for even minor offenses of the law (which, in their eyes, can never be wrong).

I know that I do not know, but that doesn't stop the binary mentality of some folks.

JustOneGodLessThanU
March 21, 2013 3:38 p.m.

Durham County better prepare for the lawsuit.

Crew Dog E6
March 18, 2013 5:19 p.m.

Sorry for his family, but we'll never know who has been saved by his death...You aren't in jail with a million dollar bond for no reason...

bluewind
March 18, 2013 3:28 p.m.

"Terry D. Lee was somebody important"

That's the sad thing. No, he was not important but he could have been.

Relic- He may not have been important to you, but he was important to his family regardless of his circumstance...

ctechic2004
March 18, 2013 2:35 p.m.