Died in jail or a lockup
Tony Mitchell
Tony Mitchell, a man from Carbon Hill, Alabama, was 33 and had been struggling with mental health and addiction after his father died in late 2022. After a welfare check at his home in January 2023, he was held for about two weeks at the Walker County Jail in Jasper, and he died at Walker Baptist Medical Center on January 26, 2023. His death certificate lists the manner as homicide, with hypothermia and sepsis from infected injuries and medical neglect as the causes, and federal court filings describe him being kept naked or nearly so in a cold cell and denied medical and mental health care. Several former jail employees and medical staff have pleaded guilty or been charged federally, and the sheriff's office has said it provided video and records to investigators. His family, through his mother Margaret Mitchell, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, and the sheriff's office disputes claims that he was placed in a freezer.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The death certificate lists homicide from hypothermia and sepsis due to medical neglect, while the sheriff's office and defendants deny the mistreatment claims, and the family's lawsuit alleges he was left in a cold cell and denied care.
Reported by: Walker County Coroner (medical examiner or coroner); Alabama Department of Forensic Science autopsy (medical examiner or coroner); Mitchell family's federal wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers); federal prosecutors and plea agreements; Walker County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him).
Lawsuit: His family sued in federal court over his death, and several jail and sheriff's office defendants settled on confidential terms, with no amount disclosed.
Sources (135)
- Man arrested by Walker Co. Sheriff’s deputies dies in custody; mother files lawsuit claiming he froze to death
- Alabama man was arrested during a welfare check. Two weeks later, he was dead.
- Man Who Fired on Walker County Sheriff’s Deputies Dies in Police Custody
- Graphic video at center of Walker County jail federal lawsuit
- Jail supervisor who leaked video showing inmate's last hours alive fired by Walker County
- Man froze to death in jail and was likely placed in freezer as punishment, lawsuit says
- No comment from Walker Co. Sheriff Nick Smith on allegations inmate 'froze to death'
- An Alabama Man Was Taken to Jail. Two Weeks Later, He Was Dead From Hypothermia.
- Alabama inmate 'froze to death' after being 'restrained in a walk-in freezer' for hours, family says
- Whistleblower who leaked video in jail death case had been named 'Officer of the Month'
- Protestors demand transparency from Walker County sheriff after death of Anthony Mitchell
- Man allegedly left naked on concrete floor in jail for days died of suspected hypothermia, lawsuit says
- Alabama man froze to death in police custody, says lawsuit
- GRAPHIC: Man froze to death after being locked in jail’s kitchen freezer as punishment, lawsuit says
- Anthony ‘Tony’ Mitchell froze to death after guards put him in walk-in freezer at Alabama jail: lawsuit
- Man freezes to death in Alabama jail's walk-in freezer, says lawsuit
- FBI joins probe into the death of an Alabama man allegedly left naked on a concrete jail floor for days
- Man Allegedly Left Naked for Days on Jail's Concrete Floor Died of Suspected Hypothermia, Lawsuit Says
- Lawsuit Alleges Man Froze To Death In Freezer Of Alabama Jail
- A 33-year-old man froze to death after being restrained in an Alabama jail's walk-in freezer, a lawsuit alleges
- After Alabama inmate froze to death in jail, history of disturbing complaints has emerged
- Man froze to death after being put in prison walk-in freezer as 'punishment'
- Sheriff's office releases first statement on inmate's death; FBI now investigating
- Anthony Mitchell: Family files suit alleging death of an inmate in Alabama was due to hypothermia
- Alabama man froze to death after police shackled and left his naked body inside a “frigid environment” for hours
- Alabama Man Died From Hypothermia, Cops ‘Likely’ Put Him in Jail Freezer, His Family Claims in Lawsuit
- Community holds protest after inmate's death, calls for sheriff's resignation
- Mentally ill man froze to death in Alabama jail, lawsuit claims
- Protesters call for Walker County Sheriff’s resignation following inmate death
- Lawsuit: Mentally Ill Man Froze to Death in Walker County Jail
- Alabama Man Allegedly Held in Jail Freezer Dies of Hypothermia
- Poor People’s Campaign: West Virginia prisoner deaths the ‘tip of the spear’
- If not held in a jail freezer, family asks how man died of hypothermia
- Ala. jail nurses challenge claims of abuse and neglect of mentally ill man who died in custody
- New video inside Walker County Jail shows Anthony ‘Tony’ Mitchell moments before taken to hospital
- Following the death of inmate Walker Co. Sheriff seeks mental evaluations on 37 inmates
- 'A slap in the face': Sister of Anthony Mitchell, Alabama man who died in police custody, reacts to 'cruel' midnight comments by sheriff's office
- Mitchell family seeks answers in loved one's death inside Walker County Jail
- Restraint chairs in Alabama jails linked to controversial cases and deaths
- Man died after not being given water in jail for nearly 3 days, family says
- Lawsuit: Alabama Jail Guards Accused of Blowing Cold Air Into Man's Cell
- ABC 33/40 I-Team investigates history of jail deaths in Walker County
- EXCLUSIVE: Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith speaks on jail death investigation
- Motion filed to dismiss Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith from lawsuit over inmate death
- Did nurses in Walker County Jail delay treatment of Tony Mitchell? New court docs offer competing answers
- In an Alabama jail, people withdraw in the ‘Drunk Tank’ without medical aid
- The painful legacy of ‘law and order’ treatment of addiction in jail
- Six months after Tony Mitchell's death advocates push for crisis response team to handle calls for the mentally ill
- Autopsy complete in death of Walker County jail inmate Tony Mitchell; results not released
- Death of Walker County inmate Tony Mitchell ruled homicide
- Coroner rules death of Walker County inmate Anthony Mitchell a homicide due to 'medical neglect'
- Death of Walker County jail inmate allegedly locked in freezer a homicide due to medical neglect
- An Alabama Inmate Died of Hypothermia. His Family Claims Jailers Locked Him in 'Freezer'
- Detainee held in jail ‘freezer’ died of hypothermia, suit says. Death ruled homicide
- Certificate: Mitchell death listed as homicide
- ALEA investigating death of inmate at Walker County Jail
- Ala. sheriff calls for 24/7 jail medical services following inmate’s death
- 'We killed him': Former correctional officer pleads guilty in death of Walker County inmate
- Former Walker Co. correctional officer agrees to plead guilty in death of inmate Tony Mitchell
- 'Collectively we did it. We killed him': Former jailer guilty plea in Tony Mitchell death
- WBRC Exclusive: Same jail administrator in place when 2 inmates died in 2 counties
- Jailer agrees to plead guilty in case of inmate who froze to death at jail
- Alabama jailer pleads guilty in death of prisoner who froze to death in cell
- ‘We killed him.’ Officer to plead guilty in detainee’s death in frigid cell, feds say
- Tony Mitchell died after spending two weeks in Walker Co. Jail
- More arrests likely in Tony Mitchell’s horrific Walker County jail death: ‘The tip of the iceberg,’ lawyer sa
- Addiction recovery worker claims in lawsuit she was fired for calling for justice in Tony Mitchell’s Walker C
- WCSO jail administrator also named in Pickens County jail death lawsuit
- "We Killed Him": Jail Officer Pleads Guilty in Death of Alabama Man
- 'Just the tip of the iceberg': More indictments expected in Walker County jail case
- Tony Mitchell died after spending two weeks in Walker Co. Jail
- ‘He’s accepted responsibility’: Attorney says former Walker Co. officer doing right thing following jail death
- Second person pleads guilty in Walker County Jail inmate death case
- Second jailer to plead guilty in Alabama inmate’s hypothermia death
- Second former Walker Co. correctional officer agrees to plead guilty in Tony Mitchell's death
- Former Walker Co. corrections officer, whistle blower in jail death case appears in court
- Former corrections officer pleads guilty in death investigation of Alabama inmate
- Former Walker County corrections officer pleads guilty in death investigation of inmate Tony Mitchell
- Alabama jailer pleads guilty in case of incarcerated man who froze to death
- More guilty pleas expected in connection to Walker County inmate's death
- More former correctional officers to plead guilty in connection to Walker Co. inmate’s death
- Man’s death in frigid jail cell ruled homicide. Two more cops to plead guilty, feds say
- Walker County jailers to plead guilty for failing to help an inmate who froze to death
- 2 jailers admit letting naked inmate freeze for 2 weeks in filthy jail cell without a bed or toilet until he died with 72-degree body temperature
- Nurse agrees to plead guilty in connection to Walker Co. inmate’s death
- Medical worker to plead guilty in connection to death of Tony Mitchell
- ‘He’s deeply remorseful that he didn’t do more’: Another former Walker Co. Jail employee appears in court
- Medical worker to plead guilty in connection with Walker County inmate’s death
- Walker County jailer to plead guilty to falsifying records in inmate abuse case
- Seventh person to plead guilty in Tony Mitchell jail death case
- New guilty plea: Case involving Tony Mitchell’s death in Walker Co. Jail advances
- Two corrections officers plead guilty in the death of an Alabama inmate
- Another Walker County jailer agrees to plead guilty in Tony Mitchell death case
- 'Don't ever let this happen again': Jasper residents host vigil honoring Tony Mitchell
- Another guilty plea related to Walker jail death; two more assaults revealed
- Former Walker Co. jailer says he used Tony Mitchell’s conditions to try to get raise, agrees to plead guilty
- For Alabamians with mental illness, incarceration can be life-threatening
- Alabama jailers created deadly conditions to manipulate local officials for money, plea says
- Two Walker County sheriff's deputies indicted for mistreatment of Tony Mitchell
- Alabama deputies indicted in assault of man who later died of hypothermia in jail
- Ala. deputies indicted after alleged mistreatment of inmate who later died of hypothermia in jail
- New guilty plea related to Walker County jail death
- 13th Walker County Jail employee charged in ongoing civil rights investigation
- Former Walker County jailer to plead guilty in Tony Mitchell in-custody death
- 14th person charged in ongoing civil rights investigation into Walker County Jail
- Another plea deal in related to Tony Mitchell jail death, federal judge to review
- Corrections officer to plead guilty in connection with man’s death in an Alabama jail
- Ala. corrections officer pleads guilty to civil rights violation in inmate’s 2023 death
- Former Walker County deputy pleads guilty to civil rights violations in Tony Mitchell case
- Former Walker County deputy pleads guilty to federal charges in arrest of Tony Mitchell
- Tony Mitchell's family reaches confidential settlement in Walker Co. jail death case
- Settlement reached in civil case in death of inmate Tony Mitchell
- Confidential settlement reached in civil case over death of Tony Mitchell
- Settlement reached in Mitchell wrongful death suit
- Six more Walker County jailers indicted in death of Tony Mitchell, assault of other inmates
- 3 current, 3 former Walker County correctional officers charged in connection to assault of inmates; 5 charged in death of Tony Mitchell
- Six indicted in Walker County Jail inmate assault cases, arraignment set for August 14
- ‘This comes from a culture’: Walker County residents react to new indictments against corrections officers
- Five Alabama jail medical staff indicted in death of mentally ill inmate
- 5 medical staff members charged in connection to man’s in-custody death in Walker County
- Five medical staff members indicted in federal Walker Co. jail death case
- Man jailed in frigid cell died of hypothermia, feds say. More AL guards charged
- Former Walker County jailers plead guilty in Anthony Mitchell death case
- Ten plead not guilty in federal court over Tony Mitchell's death in Walker County Jail
- 10 recently indicted in Walker County inmate death make first court appearance
- 3 former Walker County corrections officers plead guilty in inmate's death
- 3 former Walker County jailers plead guilty in federal case
- Former Walker County jailers plead guilty in federal case linked to Tony Mitchell's death
- 3 former Ala. corrections officers plead guilty in inmate’s 2023 death
- Two plead guilty in inmate death case, face up to one year in prison
- 2 more former Walker Co. jailers plead guilty in ongoing probe into inmate’s death
- 'Failure of humanity': Cousin recounts horrors faced by Tony Mitchell in Walker County Jail
- 'No justice:' Vigil held three years since Tony Mitchell's death in Walker Co. Jail
- Former Walker Co. deputy enters pretrial diversion agreement, agrees to surrender APOSTC certification
- Walker County Deputy Reaches Pretrial Diversion Agreement With U.S. Justice Department