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Copeland, Tanja
Status: active
Profile written May 31, 2026
This profile reflects positional accountability — this individual held the leadership roles shown during the dates shown, during which the listed deaths or lawsuits occurred. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding of personal culpability for any specific incident.
Tenure Summary
Tanja Copeland holds the deputy warden tier of leadership at Autry State Prison. According to GPS records, her tenure began on June 16, 2024, as Deputy Warden of Administration, and in 2025 she additionally served as Deputy Warden. During her time in these roles, six deaths were recorded at the facility. None of those deaths have been linked to any lawsuit in which Copeland was named as a defendant.What happened on their watch
Copeland’s accountability at Autry State Prison spans two overlapping postings. She was appointed Deputy Warden of Administration on June 16, 2024, and remained in that role while also holding the title of Deputy Warden for the full 2025 calendar year.GPS records attribute six deaths to Autry State Prison during these assignments. The first occurred on December 22, 2024, when Copeland was Deputy Warden of Administration: Alerick Campbell, age 56, died under cause-of-death category 6. The remaining five deaths all happened while Copeland was serving as Deputy Warden in 2025. Harvey Jack Woodard, 69, died on May 8; Alton Anson Kelly, 61, and James Melvin Tudor, 86, both died on August 23; Richard Merritt, 75, died on October 20; and Chaudhry Abdul Rashid, 74, died on November 11. Each of these five decedents is also recorded under cause category 6. The ages of the deceased ranged from 56 to 86.
No lawsuits against Copeland are reflected in GPS records, and no intel reports or news mentions connect her to specific allegations of wrongdoing at the facility. While Autry State Prison had a documented history of Legionella contamination and was closed for infrastructure repairs in June 2023, those events predate Copeland’s arrival and do not overlap with her tenure.
Litigation
GPS records show no lawsuits filed against Copeland related to deaths or other incidents at Autry State Prison.Sources
- GPS personnel and death records – total_deaths_attributed = 6, all at Autry State Prison, and the individual decedent data listed in deaths_during_tenure.
- GPS intelligence records – documentation of historical Legionella contamination and facility closure in 2023, which occurred before Copeland’s tenure.
Positions Held
| Title | Facility | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| DEPUTY WARDEN | AUTRY STATE PRISON | 2025-01-01 → present |
| Deputy Warden of Administration | AUTRY STATE PRISON | 2024-06-16 → present |
Deaths attributed during tenure
6 people died at facilities under Copeland, Tanja's leadership.
| Date | Decedent | Age | Facility | Role at time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-11 | CHAUDHRY ABUDL RASHID | 74 | AUTRY STATE PRISON | DEPUTY WARDEN |
| 2025-10-20 | RICHARD MERRITT | 75 | AUTRY STATE PRISON | DEPUTY WARDEN |
| 2025-08-23 | ALTON ANSON KELLY | 61 | AUTRY STATE PRISON | DEPUTY WARDEN |
| 2025-08-23 | JAMES MELVIN TUDOR | 86 | AUTRY STATE PRISON | DEPUTY WARDEN |
| 2025-05-08 | HARVEY JACK WOODARD | 69 | AUTRY STATE PRISON | DEPUTY WARDEN |
| 2024-12-22 | ALERICK CAMPBELL | 56 | AUTRY STATE PRISON | Deputy Warden of Administration |
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