Name not reported
Jasper was 21 when he died in May 2016 while held at Parchman, the Mississippi state prison, in his cell in an empty unit. The author, who knew him through letters and conversations, describes him as a brilliant, thoughtful young man and a natural leader who wanted his family and the people around him to do better, and who wrote about what he would need to get back on his feet and help them. Unnamed officials said he died by suicide, a claim the author does not accept. The author disputes that account and questions what the official explanation is based on.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed). Unnamed officials said he killed himself in his cell, but the author, who knew him through letters and conversations, does not accept that account and says what happened may never be known.
Reported by: unnamed officials; the author.