Knox County, TN (WOKI / WVLT) – Knox County and the leadership of the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center are facing a third lawsuit alleging employee mistreatment, adding to growing controversy surrounding operations at the facility.
The latest complaint was filed by Mary Dailey, a 75-year-old former employee who claims she was reassigned from a longtime administrative role into a physically demanding position she says she was unable to perform.
According to the lawsuit, Dailey spent more than 15 years working in the facility’s control room, where she says she consistently performed well. Despite that, she alleges she was moved into a role supervising detainees — a job that required more physical ability and direct interaction with minors housed at the center.
Dailey claims the reassignment came even though her supervisors were aware of her age and medical conditions, including neuropathy that later required surgery. The lawsuit argues there was no operational need to remove her from her original position and that the decision placed her in a role she was not suited to handle.
Her complaint echoes similar claims made by other current and former employees. At least two previous lawsuits have been filed against Knox County and center leadership, including one by another employee in her late 60s who also alleged she was moved into a more physically demanding role despite medical concerns. [yahoo.com]
In those cases, plaintiffs claimed older workers were reassigned or pushed out while younger employees were placed in less demanding positions, raising concerns about possible age discrimination and workplace fairness.
Dailey’s lawsuit also alleges that her medical needs were ignored by a supervisor and that she was required to continue working in the more strenuous assignment despite being unable to safely perform the duties.
In addition, she claims the facility failed to provide adequate training after implementing new policies adopted from another juvenile detention center. According to the complaint, employees were expected to follow procedures that may not have been appropriate for Knox County’s facility.
The legal action comes amid broader concerns about conditions and management at the juvenile detention center following Knox County’s takeover of operations in 2025. That transition followed allegations that prior leadership retaliated against employees who raised concerns about safety and operations.
Since then, multiple lawsuits have accused current leadership, including director Cory Dauer, of unfair treatment, inadequate training, and creating unsafe working conditions for staff. [wate.com]
In one earlier case, a group of employees claimed they were not properly trained to work with juvenile detainees and faced increased risk of injury as a result. [wate.com]
Dailey’s lawsuit seeks damages and attorney fees. As of now, Knox County has not publicly responded to the latest filing.
The case adds to ongoing legal and administrative challenges for the facility, which remains under scrutiny as county leaders continue efforts to reform operations and restore confidence in the center’s management.
