An autopsy has determined Farron Barksdale died of natural causes and showed no signs of trauma while in a state prison, but an attorney for his mother wants to know why his body was badly bruised before his death.

“I’m going to find out what happened,” said Jake Watson, who was one of Barksdale’s defense attorneys and now represents Farron’s mother, Mary Barksdale. “He died of natural causes apparently because of the conditions at the prison. We want to know if he was beaten, if he died because he was put in a brutally hot environment, whether he was given incorrect medication…Sheriff Mike Blakely had him for three years and he did fine. The DOC had him for three days and he’s dead. I think that demands answers.”

The Alabama Department of Corrections e-mailed a press release to news outlets Friday stating that a final autopsy from the Department of Forensic Sciences showed Barksdale died from “complications of bronchopneumonia, with contributory factors of hyperthermia and coagulopathy.”

Hyperthermia occurs when the body produces more heat than it can dissipate. Coagulopathy is a defect in the blood’s ability to clot.

Corrections Commissioner Richard Allen told the Associated Press Friday he is satisfied with the autopsy report.

“It confirms what we thought and that was he didn’t receive a beating and was not traumatized by anyone while he was in our custody,” Allen said. “I always knew that and I believe my investigation was right. I don’t feel vindicated, but I feel pleased that it came out this way. It confirms what we determined.”

Allen said a forensic pathologist hired by lawyers representing the Barksdale family observed his medical care while he was in the hospital and was also present during the autopsy.

Barksdale, an Athens man incarcerated at Kilby Correctional Facility when he mysteriously collapsed, died Aug. 20 at the age of 32 at Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery.

He had been housed at Limestone County Jail from Jan. 2, 2004, when he was arrested for fatally shooting two Athens Police officers, until Aug. 8, when he was transferred to Kilby after a judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole.

At the time Barksdale died, Alabama was in the midst of a severe heat wave. State prisons are not air-conditioned and large fans are used to cool inmates.

The report released Friday stated: “No evidence of external or internal trauma is identified.”

However, Watson said he wants to know the cause of bruising on Barksdale’s body. Watson, who heard about the autopsy results when reporters called him for comment late Friday afternoon, had not seen the report.

“It’s my understanding they’re saying he died of natural causes,” Watson said, referring to DOC officials. “This is my question: We’ve been fighting for more than two months to get photographs that we know depict serious, serious bruising. They’ve denied us access to that.”

In August, a judge ordered that a forensic expert working on behalf of Farron’s family be allowed to witness his care while in the hospital and be present at the autopsy. Watson said this pathologist, who formerly worked at the Department of Forensic Sciences, saw the photos depicting bruising on Farron’s body.

“He had the opportunity to view the photographs of Mr. Barksdale when he was first brought into the hospital,” Watson said.