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Horrifying pictures show the moment Anthony Mitchell, 33, was placed inside a walk-in freezer by two correctional officers. A lawsuit filed by the man's family alleges the mentally ill man was placed in a freezer or other cold area of the jail and left to languish on the floor as he slowly died of hypothermia. Mitchell's mother said he was left to cope with "hellish" conditions for two weeks before he died.
The lawsuit claimed: "While Tony languished naked and dying of hypothermia in the early morning hours of January 26 and his chances for survival trickled away, numerous corrections officers and medical staff wandered over to his open cell door to spectate and be entertained by his condition."
Mitchell had been placed in police custody on January 12 after he was arrested for attempted murder after allegedly threatening to harm himself and others.
The 37-page lawsuit said the treatment of Mitchell while in the Walker County, Alabama jail was "one of the most appalling cases of jail abuse the country has seen."
The document included photographic evidence showing two prison officers observing Mitchell as he lays on the ground.
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Anthony Mitchell died in police custody on January 26 (Image: ALABAMA SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT)
Mitchell's internal temperature was barely 72F when he arrived at the hospital (Image: ALABAMA SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT)
Additional pictures show two officers manhandling a naked Mitchell inside a small room with the man showing no sign of fighting back.
And more photos show him sitting in a wheelchair seemingly unresponsive. Video also shows him being carried out of the jail and placed into a patrol vehicle.
Officials with the Walker County Sheriff's Office had previously claimed the man had been "alert and responsive" when officers escorted him to the emergency room.
A doctor at the hospital recorded his temperature at arrival was barely 22C (72F), noting in his medical record it was hard to understand how the man could be so cold.
The Sheriff's Office claimed Mitchell was "alert and responsive" (Image: ALABAMA SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT)
The medical report included in the lawsuit read: "I am not sure what circumstances the patient was held in incarceration but it is difficult to understand a rectal temperature of 72 degrees F, 22 degrees centigrade while someone is incarcerated in jail.
"The cause of his hypothermia is not clear. I do not know if he could have been exposed to a cold environment.
"I do believe hypothermia was the ultimate cause of death."
The lawsuit claimed Mitchell received no medical attention for five hours after he was removed from the cold area he was left in, and that he had "only atonal respiration of two-four breaths per minute" when he arrived at the hospital.
WALKER COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - Lawyers for a former Walker County corrections officer say leaked surveillance pictures and video show some of the abuse and neglect that led to Tony Mitchell’s death in January.
Karen Kelly believes the Walker County Sheriff’s office retaliated against her and fired her for exposing the truth, according to a federal lawsuit filed on her behalf by her attorney, Jon Goldfarb, who also represents Tony Mitchell’s family.
Goldfarb says if not for former corrections officer Kelly, this case would have been buried with Tony Mitchell. The lawsuit says the sheriff’s office falsely reported to the media that Mitchell was alert and conscious when he left jail. Kelly, after seeing the surveillance video, said that was not true. Court documents say he was ”unconscious and nearly dead when he left the jail.”
“There needs to be a federal statute requiring bystanders to report inmate abuse and provide statutory whistleblower protection to those who do,” Goldfarb said.
The lawsuit says Kelly was concerned the video would be deleted or recorded over at the sheriff’s office, and that’s why she says it needed to be seen by others.
In the lawsuit is a portion of Kelly’s termination letter signed by Sheriff Nick Smith. It says she is considered a probationary employee and goes onto to say “you have engaged in certain activities that have been discussed with you, which are considered unsatisfactory service for a variety of reasons.”
The sheriff’s office is not commenting on the lawsuits and referred us to ALEA, who’s investigating Mitchell’s death.
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The lawsuit claimed: "While Tony languished naked and dying of hypothermia in the early morning hours of January 26 and his chances for survival trickled away, numerous corrections officers and medical staff wandered over to his open cell door to spectate and be entertained by his condition."
Mitchell had been placed in police custody on January 12 after he was arrested for attempted murder after allegedly threatening to harm himself and others.
The 37-page lawsuit said the treatment of Mitchell while in the Walker County, Alabama jail was "one of the most appalling cases of jail abuse the country has seen."
The document included photographic evidence showing two prison officers observing Mitchell as he lays on the ground.
JUST IN: Joe Biden tipped for new three-word slogan after State of Union address, says Democrat
Anthony Mitchell died in police custody on January 26 (Image: ALABAMA SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT)
Mitchell's internal temperature was barely 72F when he arrived at the hospital (Image: ALABAMA SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT)
Additional pictures show two officers manhandling a naked Mitchell inside a small room with the man showing no sign of fighting back.
And more photos show him sitting in a wheelchair seemingly unresponsive. Video also shows him being carried out of the jail and placed into a patrol vehicle.
Officials with the Walker County Sheriff's Office had previously claimed the man had been "alert and responsive" when officers escorted him to the emergency room.
A doctor at the hospital recorded his temperature at arrival was barely 22C (72F), noting in his medical record it was hard to understand how the man could be so cold.
The Sheriff's Office claimed Mitchell was "alert and responsive" (Image: ALABAMA SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT)
The medical report included in the lawsuit read: "I am not sure what circumstances the patient was held in incarceration but it is difficult to understand a rectal temperature of 72 degrees F, 22 degrees centigrade while someone is incarcerated in jail.
"The cause of his hypothermia is not clear. I do not know if he could have been exposed to a cold environment.
"I do believe hypothermia was the ultimate cause of death."
The lawsuit claimed Mitchell received no medical attention for five hours after he was removed from the cold area he was left in, and that he had "only atonal respiration of two-four breaths per minute" when he arrived at the hospital.
Lawsuit: Ex-corrections supervisor sues Walker Co. Sheriff’s office, saying she was fired for leaking surveillance video
WALKER COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - Lawyers for a former Walker County corrections officer say leaked surveillance pictures and video show some of the abuse and neglect that led to Tony Mitchell’s death in January.
Karen Kelly believes the Walker County Sheriff’s office retaliated against her and fired her for exposing the truth, according to a federal lawsuit filed on her behalf by her attorney, Jon Goldfarb, who also represents Tony Mitchell’s family.
Goldfarb says if not for former corrections officer Kelly, this case would have been buried with Tony Mitchell. The lawsuit says the sheriff’s office falsely reported to the media that Mitchell was alert and conscious when he left jail. Kelly, after seeing the surveillance video, said that was not true. Court documents say he was ”unconscious and nearly dead when he left the jail.”
“There needs to be a federal statute requiring bystanders to report inmate abuse and provide statutory whistleblower protection to those who do,” Goldfarb said.
The lawsuit says Kelly was concerned the video would be deleted or recorded over at the sheriff’s office, and that’s why she says it needed to be seen by others.
In the lawsuit is a portion of Kelly’s termination letter signed by Sheriff Nick Smith. It says she is considered a probationary employee and goes onto to say “you have engaged in certain activities that have been discussed with you, which are considered unsatisfactory service for a variety of reasons.”
The sheriff’s office is not commenting on the lawsuits and referred us to ALEA, who’s investigating Mitchell’s death.
Man froze to death after being put in prison freezer as 'punishment'
Anthony Mitchell's family accused the Walker County jail of "malicious abuse and mountains of deliberate indifference."
Lawsuit: Ex-corrections supervisor sues Walker Co. Sheriff’s office, saying she was fired for leaking surveillance video
Lawyers for a former Walker County corrections officer say leaked surveillance pictures and video show some of the abuse and neglect that led to Tony Mitchell's death in January.
