James Talley
James Talley, 36, was held at Unit 30 of the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman when he died in January 2020. The Mississippi Department of Corrections said he was killed during a fight with other incarcerated men, and Sunflower County Coroner Heather Burton said he appeared to have died of blunt-force trauma. A witness says he was still alive when found during a welfare check and may have died on the way to the prison hospital, and that officials did not investigate at the time. The witness also says MDOC has not provided the investigation report on his death.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). The Mississippi Department of Corrections and the Sunflower County coroner attribute his death to a fight with other incarcerated men and blunt-force trauma, while a witness says he was still alive when found during a welfare check and was not investigated at the time, and says MDOC has withheld its homicide report.
Reported by: Mississippi Department of Corrections (the agency that held him); Sunflower County Coroner Heather Burton (medical examiner or coroner); a witness held at the prison.