subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sat, Nov 21 2009 

Resources

print this story   Print this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Published November 10, 2007 06:45 pm - The mother of a dead inmate and the Southern Center for Human Rights continue to press their open records suit against the Department of Corrections for release of Farron Barksdale’s incident file, which might contain answers to troubling questions about his care while confined at Kilby Correctional Facility.

Barksdale attorneys press open records case


By Karen Middleton
karen@athensnews-courier.com

The mother of a dead inmate and the Southern Center for Human Rights continue to press their open records suit against the Department of Corrections for release of Farron Barksdale’s incident file, which might contain answers to troubling questions about his care while confined at Kilby Correctional Facility.

On Friday, Barksdale’s attorney, Jake Watson of Huntsville, answered the DOC’s motion for dismissal of the suit by pressing once more for answers as to the inmate’s care and treatment.

Questions raised in the plaintiffs’ answer to the DOC’s motion to dismiss are:

• What caused the bruising on Barksdale’s body?

• Was he adequately monitored?

• Did he complain of illness, and if so, did prison officials respond in a reasonable amount of time

• Was he unconscious for a long time before he was discovered?

• Were appropriate steps taken to revive him?

Barksdale died Aug. 20 in a Montgomery hospital 10 days after being found comatose in a cell at Kilby. An autopsy concluded that Barksdale died of pneumonia complicated by heat stroke says drug therapy likely contributed to the hyperthermia.

His body also showed bruising, but medical examiner Kenneth Snell said he does not believe the bruises were related to the cause of death.

Before he was arrested for the shooting deaths of two Athens Police officers on Jan. 2, 2004, Barksdale had been diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic and involuntarily committed on several occasions.

During a 100-day stay at Taylor Hardin, physicians determined Barksdale was not paranoid schizophrenic, but that his problems were drug- and alcohol-induced, said Limestone County District Attorney Kristi Valls.

Barksdale was convicted of capital murder in a mini trial and sentenced to life without parole in August in Limestone County Circuit Court. He was transferred Aug. 8 to Kilby and was found in his cell Aug. 11 and taken to Baptist Medical Center South.

In its motion for dismissal, the DOC contends that a state agency has immunity from such suits and that the documents sought by the suit — incident reports and medical records pertaining to Barksdale’s incarceration and subsequent collapse — do not fall under the Open Records Act. Attorney General Troy King as issued a seven-page brief supporting Prison Commissioner Richard Allen’s stand.

Watson’s answer to the DOC said that the agency is melding its statutory rights to withhold investigative reports with the withholding of incident reports, which are not covered in the Alabama code and are open records.



print this story    email this story   






autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide


Premier Guide
Premium Jobs

Parts Counter Person
Need EXPERIENCED PARTS COUNTER PERSON for Kubota and New Holland Dealership. Must be able to work with computers and in ...>MORE

Circulation Manager
The News Courier is seeking a motivated professional with strong sales and marketing abilities to direct our circulation...>MORE

Advertising Account Executive
Do you have an abundance of ambition, confidence and determination? Are you able to easily persuade people? If so, you m...>MORE

Is your company hiring?
Reach more people here. Call today to place your employment ad. The News Courier, 256-232-2720....>MORE

See all ads

Premium Autos

Need to sell your car?
Contact The News-Courier classified department Monday-Friday at (256) 232-2720 or email angie@athensnews-courier.com...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Homes/Rentals

Selling your house?
Contact The News Courier classified department Monday-Friday at (256) 232-2720 or Fax (256) 233-7753 or email Angie@athe...>MORE

House for Rent
1106 5th Avenue. Newly remodeled inside. 2BR, 1BA, living room, kitchen w/stove & refrigerator. Outside washer / dryer r...>MORE

House for Rent
19052 Runway Street, 3BR, semi - furnished. Fenced in backyard. City limits. References required. $700/mo. Shown by appo...>MORE

4 Houses
4 Houses for Sale, Rent or Possible Lease Purchase. $600 - $1200 per month. Flagship Realty, Call Hubert, 777-3330...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Extras

Misc. items
Antique & Old furniture, several pieces; New diesel generator, 550 watts, 120 - 240 volts, electric start; New heavy dut...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index