James Hodge
Thaddeus OdomNASHVILLE, Tenn. – Police are investigating the beating death of a patient at Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institution as a murder.
James M. Hodge, 53, was attacked by another patient just after 6 a.m. Thursday at the institution on Stewarts Ferry Pike. He was taken to Summit Medical Center, where he died during surgery on severe head injuries.
Police said Hodge and another patient, 60-year-old Thaddeus Odom got into a fight around 2 a.m. Thursday. They were separated by staff to different rooms in the same wing of the facility.
Hodge left his bedroom around 6:05 a.m. to go to a nearby dayroom. Odom allegedly followed him into the dayroom and attacked him.
Video of the incident shows Odom was only in the dayroom for less than 30 seconds. Two nearby staff members witnessed the attack and rushed to Hodge's aid.
Odom was segregated by the institution pending the outcome of the police investigation.
Administration and staff have been cooperating with police.
