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Tyler Perry sought second autopsy for nephew Gavin Porter, who died in Louisiana prison

Tyler Perry has hired pathologist Michael Baden to perform a second autopsy on his nephew, Gavin Porter, who died in a Louisiana prison this week.

Porter, 26, was found about 8:30 p.m. CST Tuesday at Farmerville, Louisiana's Union Parish Detention Center, after apparently hanging himself in a cell with a bedsheet, Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates told the Monroe, Louisiana News-Star. Porter had been placed in the cell Saturday after a fight involving several inmates, the sheriff said, stating that no foul play was suspected.

Tyler Perry speaks onstage in January.
Tyler Perry speaks onstage in January.

Perry said in an emotional Instagram post Thursday that he wanted to look further into the death of his nephew.

"Three days ago, I got the horrible news that he allegedly committed suicide in prison," Perry wrote. "I say allegedly because, unfortunately, our criminal justice system and prisons have been notorious for cover ups and/or getting it wrong."

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More: Tyler Perry's nephew dies in Union Parish Detention Center

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My Nephew Gavin Porter

A post shared by Tyler Perry (@tylerperry) on Feb 27, 2020 at 2:15pm PST

Perry said he had hired the high-profile Baden "and we are expecting the results soon."

"I want to be clear we are not conspiracy theorists, and we want to believe there was no foul play, just as the sheriff has stated publicly," Perry wrote.

Porter pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2017 for the 2016 shooting death of his father, Gary Wayne Porter, who was 54.

Perry explained that his sister's son was imprisoned for the "heinous" crime that resulted from a "senseless argument" and that the "murder shook our entire family to the core."

"Despite this horrible act, before he went to prison, I went to see him in the local jail. I assured him that we all still loved him, but it was most important to all of us. including his mother, that he was punished for this horrific crime that he had committed," Perry wrote. Porter was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

"Call me naive, but it was my hope that after serving his time, really reflecting, showing much remorse and asking God for forgiveness, that he would have been able to come work for me," Perry wrote. "But that day will never come."

Perry said he would have no further comment. USA TODAY reached out to the Union Parish sheriff's office for further comment.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tyler Perry: Second autopsy sought for nephew who died in prison