Former Alabama jailer pleads guilty in inmate’s death from hypothermia

A former corrections officer at the Walker County Jail in Alabama has agreed to plead guilty to charges related to the death of a mentally ill inmate, Tony Mitchell, who died of hypothermia after being held naked in a concrete cell for two weeks.  According to federal court records, Joshua Conner Jones entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors, pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to deprive an inmate of their rights and a separate count of rights-deprivation related to the assault of another inmate.

Mitchell, 33, died on January 26, 2023, after being brought to a hospital emergency room with a body temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius). The plea agreement detailed the horrific conditions Mitchell endured, including being naked, wet, cold, and covered in feces while lying on a cement floor without a mat or blanket. Despite his deteriorating condition, which left him largely unresponsive, the conspirators failed to take any action to alleviate his suffering.

Jones admitted in the plea agreement that “collectively we did it. We killed him,” acknowledging the collective neglect by him and his co-conspirators. The agreement also indicated that there were five co-conspirators involved in the mistreatment that led to Mitchell’s death, suggesting that the investigation is ongoing and more individuals could be charged.

Mitchell, who had a history of drug addiction, was arrested on January 12, 2023, after a welfare check requested by his cousin revealed he was experiencing a mental breakdown. According to the Walker County sheriff’s office, Mitchell had fired a shot at deputies before fleeing into the woods. The officers reportedly dismissed his urgent need for medical attention, saying, “he gets what he gets since he shot at cops.”

The plea agreement and the lawsuit filed by Mitchell’s mother have brought to light the severe issues within the correctional system and the inhumane treatment Mitchell endured, marking a step towards accountability for those responsible for his tragic death.