Deaths in Custody
Died in jail or a lockup

Alan Willison

32 years old · died January 26, 2023 · Clayton County Jail, Clayton County, Georgia

Alan Willison, 32, was held at the Clayton County Jail in Georgia. His mother, Tracie Emerson, has said he suffered and that she never got to say goodbye. He asked for emergency medical care for months as a testicular tumor grew, and was not diagnosed until January 19, 2023, a week before he died on January 26. The county medical examiner's office found that medical neglect contributed to his death, while the sheriff's office initially gave a different account; his mother's lawsuit says he was never sent to a hospital, and CorrectHealth told the court it lacked information to admit or deny many of the allegations.

Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The Clayton County Medical Examiner's Office found that medical neglect by jail staff contributed to the death from testicular cancer, while the sheriff's office initially gave a different account; his mother's lawsuit says he was never sent to a hospital and a urologist's request for emergency surgery was not acted on, and Sen. Jon Ossoff says staff gave him only Tylenol because he had made too many requests.

Reported by: Clayton County Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Clayton County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); his mother's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Sen. Jon Ossoff's office; The Appeal (reporters).

Lawsuit: His mother filed a lawsuit alleging that medical neglect at the Clayton County Jail contributed to Alan Willison's death from testicular cancer, and CorrectHealth responded that it lacked information to admit or deny many of the allegations.

News reports (7)

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Questions, a correction, or a death I’ve missed? Email me at orion.j.taylor@gmail.com.