Deaths in Custody
Died in jail or a lockup

Tony Mitchell

33 years old · died January 26, 2023 · Walker County Jail, Walker County, Alabama

Tony Mitchell, 33, was remembered by his cousin Steve Mitchell as a 'gentle giant' who was charismatic and loved life. In January 2023, after his family asked for a welfare check during a mental health crisis, he was held at the Walker County Jail for about two weeks, where federal filings say he was kept in a cold concrete cell without adequate clothing, bedding or toilet and received no medical or mental health screening. Court documents say jailers did not act for more than three hours on a nurse's urgent request to send him to a hospital. He died at Walker Baptist Medical Center on January 26, 2023, with a body temperature of 72 degrees; his death certificate lists hypothermia and sepsis from medical neglect and the county coroner ruled the death a homicide. Federal prosecutors have charged more than two dozen jail and medical employees, and several have pleaded guilty, while the sheriff's office has denied mistreating him and his family's wrongful death lawsuit remains pending.

Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The Walker County coroner's death certificate lists hypothermia and sepsis from medical neglect and rules the death a homicide, while the family's lawsuit says jailers kept him naked in a cold cell, denied medical care and did not take him to a hospital until hours after a nurse called for urgent care, and the sheriff's office disputes the allegations.

Reported by: Walker County coroner (medical examiner or coroner); Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (medical examiner or coroner); Mitchell family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); U.S. Attorney's office (outside investigators); emergency room physician.

Lawsuit: His family filed a federal lawsuit over his death in the Walker County Jail, and the sources report no dollar amount, though one article says a confidential settlement was reached with most defendants.

News reports (82)

Read the Alabama reportSee on the Alabama mapSee on the national mapAll records

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