Inmate families claim Alabama prison bodies returned with organs mysteriously absent
Alabama families allege bodies of prison inmates returned missing organs, raising concerns over potential grave robbery
Two families have asserted that after the Alabama Department of Corrections returned the bodies of their deceased loved ones who were in prison, they discovered that one or more internal organs were missing, according to court documents.
Charles Edward Singleton, who was 74 at the time, passed away while incarcerated at the Hamilton Aged and Infirmed Center in Hamilton, located approximately 90 miles northwest of Birmingham.
The prison chaplain informed Singleton's family that the corrections department would handle the funeral arrangements, as stated in an affidavit signed by Singleton's daughter, Charlene Drake, on January 3.
Drake relayed that she had requested to make the arrangements and transport the body to a funeral home, but when Singleton's body arrived, the funeral director informed her that it would be challenging to prepare his body for viewing due to its noticeable state of decomposition, and that his internal organs, including his brain, were missing, as stated in the affidavit.
The affidavit states that in Singleton's case, the organs were not placed back in the body after the autopsy, contrary to the standard procedure mentioned by the funeral director. Meanwhile, the Alabama Department of Corrections declined to comment on the ongoing litigation and stated that it does not conduct or approve autopsies.
The department stated that when an inmate passes away, the body is taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences or the University of Alabama at Birmingham for autopsy. This depends on various factors such as region and the circumstances of the death. Drakes affidavit was submitted to support a federal lawsuit by Brandon Clay Dotson's family, following his death at the age of 43 in Ventress Correctional Facility in Clayton on November 16, 2023.
The Dotson family faced challenges in obtaining the release of his body from the Alabama Department of Corrections. When they finally did, five days later, the lawsuit stated that "the body had not been adequately preserved and was significantly decomposed." The family then enlisted the help of a pathologist to conduct a second autopsy, during which it was discovered that the heart was missing, as stated in the affidavit.
"The Alabama Department of Corrections - or an agent responsible for conducting the autopsy or transporting the body to his family - had, inexplicably and without the required permission from Mr. Dotson's next of kin, removed and retained Mr. Dotson's heart," the lawsuit said. "Their appalling misconduct is nothing short of grave robbery and mutilation."
Two inmates in upstate New York claim they were severely beaten by prison guards and later subjected to waterboarding, a controversial interrogation technique considered by many to be a form of torture. Lawsuits filed by the inmates detail the alleged incidents, which took place at Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock, N.Y. on November 19, 2016. The lawsuits have drawn attention to the treatment of prisoners in the facility. (Caleb Kenna/The New York Times)
2 New York state prison inmates say they were waterboarded, beaten by guards
Lauren Faraino, an attorney representing Dotsons family, called the alleged misconduct "abuse."
"The cruelty within Alabama's prison system goes beyond just physical abuse," she stated. "We have recently discovered that the atrocities continue even after death."
The lawsuit not only accuses the state corrections department, but also alleges that the University of Alabama has a history of utilizing the organs of deceased inmates for medical research and training.
The university spokesperson strongly refuted the claim, stating that while the university is one of the providers authorized to conduct autopsies of incarcerated individuals under the direction of the state of Alabama, it did not perform Dotson's autopsy. It remains uncertain whether the university was involved in Singleton's autopsy, and CNN has requested further clarification.
Alicia Rohan, director of external public relations at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, stated that the university does not make comments on ongoing legal matters. However, she emphasized that the university has comprehensive autopsy policies in place.
"We only perform autopsies with consent or authorization and consistently follow standard procedures for anyone who has given consent or authorization for an autopsy," Rohan explained. "During an autopsy, organs and tissues are extracted to accurately determine the cause of death. Consent for an autopsy also includes permission for the final disposition of the organs and tissues; unless otherwise specified, organs are not returned to the body."
