Charles Austin Gratton Jr.
Charles Austin Gratton Jr., a 76-year-old man, died on Sunday, November 8, 2026, while held at William Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama. He was being treated in the prison infirmary for a natural disease when he was found unresponsive. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office said an examination found no evidence of trauma or foul play, and it attributed the death to natural causes. The Alabama Department of Corrections' Law Enforcement Services is reported to be investigating the death.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office found no evidence of trauma or foul play, and the Alabama Department of Corrections' Law Enforcement Services is investigating.
Reported by: Jefferson County Coroner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Alabama Department of Corrections' Law Enforcement Services (the agency that held him).
Custody: Serving a sentence.