Billy Smith
Billy Smith, 35, was held at Elmore Correctional Facility in Alabama, where he was hurt in a fight with another prisoner in November 2017. Witnesses told investigators that officers then beat him, hogtied him and delayed his medical care, and his mother, Teresa Smith, says guards were responsible for his death. He died at Jackson Hospital in Montgomery on December 9, 2017, about 26 days later. A state autopsy and the coroner attributed his death to blunt force brain trauma and ruled it a homicide, while the Alabama Department of Corrections publicly described it as natural. He left behind three young children, and a grand jury later indicted a former officer for manslaughter, which the officer disputes.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). A state autopsy attributed blunt force brain trauma to beating by officers, witnesses say officers beat and hogtied him and delayed care, and his family has sued; the corrections department called the death natural.
Reported by: state autopsy; confidential state report; grand jury; Alabama Department of Corrections (the agency that held him); his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued over his death at Elmore Correctional Facility, and no dollar amount for any settlement or award is reported.
News reports (7)
- News report
- Billy Smith (Elmore Correctional Facility)
- Alabama inmate, guard indicted in 2017 prisoner death
- Secret report: Alabama guards allegedly beat, hog-tied, ignored inmate who later died
- Alabama prison death highlights pattern of officials promoting bad bosses
- Manslaughter charges dropped for former Alabama correctional officer, prisoner