Local sheriff asks FBI to investigate death of Black man found hanging in Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The FBI is investigating nan decease of a Black man successful Alabama, who was recovered hanging successful an abandoned house, pursuing a petition from a section sheriff amid fears among organization members who impeach section rule enforcement of longstanding, unchecked misconduct.

Sheriff’s deputies recovered Dennoriss Richardson, 39, successful September successful a agrarian portion of Colbert County, miles distant from his location successful Sheffield, a metropolis of astir 10,000 group adjacent nan Tennessee River.

The Colbert County Sheriff’s Office ruled Richardson’s decease a suicide. But Richardson’s wife, Leigh Richardson, has said that is not true, explaining her hubby did not time off a statement and had nary relationship to nan location wherever he was found.

Instead, nan 40-year-old fears her husband’s decease was related to a suit he revenge against nan section constabulary section successful February. Dennoriss Richardson, who coached kids successful shot and football, had alleged he was assaulted, denied aesculapian attention, sprayed pinch tear state and shocked pinch a Taser while successful jail.

Leigh Richardson said she is not accusing a circumstantial personification but is adamant her hubby didn’t termination himself.

She is not unsocial successful her belief. Widespread skepticism astir Richardson’s decease underscores deep-seated distrust of section rule enforcement successful Colbert County. In a region wherever hanging invokes a agelong history of state-sanctioned lynchings for Black people, residents successful nan region allege a shape of excessive unit among section rule enforcement.

Sheriff Eric Balentine, who confirmed nan FBI accepted his petition to investigate, said his section “exhausted each resources” successful its investigation.

“We consciousness assured successful what our findings were, but we consciousness for illustration by doing this we tin springiness nan family much bid of mind,” Balentine said.

A spokesperson for nan FBI’s section agency successful Birmingham confirmed nan FBI is alert of Dennoriss Richardson’s decease and is reviewing nan allegations of criminal misconduct.

Tori Bailey, nan president of nan section NAACP section and nan only Black personnel of nan six-person region committee successful Colbert County, said nan community’s guidance to Richardson’s decease was partially informed by nan region’s harrowing history pinch lynchings.

In Alabama, location were 359 reported lynchings betwixt 1877 and 1943, according to nan Equal Justice Initiative, a criminal justness betterment nonprofit. In Colbert County alone, location were 11.

Bailey said, though location whitethorn beryllium thing to these accusations, it makes consciousness nan organization would person a “visceral” guidance to a Black man hanging and want a much thorough investigation. She said while immoderate officers are trying to do nan correct thing, successful her 12 years arsenic NAACP president she has documented and investigated galore cases of excessive unit successful nan county.

“There has agelong been a benignant of disconnect betwixt communities of colour and rule enforcement. Unfortunately, galore of america do not consciousness that rule enforcement is really location to service and protect,” Bailey said.

Marvin Long, a 57-year-old Black man and lifelong Colbert County resident, knew Dennoriss Richardson’s family good increasing up. He shares nan skepticism astir nan termination ruling and said Richardson’s decease has intensified his fearfulness of retaliation.

“To this time I dislike seeing a constabulary car,” Long said. “I’m still much acrophobic now than ever.”

Long sued nan Sheffield Police section past year. After he inquired astir an unrelated apprehension taking spot conscionable extracurricular his spot successful 2021, assemblage camera footage appears to show officers pursuing Long to his house, dragging him down his structure steps and siccing nan constabulary K9 connected him arsenic he screams for help. Long was unarmed, according to nan complaint.

Richardson and Long are among 5 Black and Latino men represented by civilian authorities lawyer Roderick Van Daniel who person revenge lawsuits against nan section successful caller years.

“Citizens are surviving successful fearfulness of retaliation,” Van Daniel said.

In 1 case, an off-duty Sheffield constabulary serviceman was caught connected surveillance footage punching and pulling a weapon connected a Black man astatine a liquor store. The serviceman was later convicted of battle and menacing and reckless endangerment. He was fired from nan department.

In a abstracted lawsuit, a 57-year-old chiropractor claims he was shocked pinch a Taser 18 times while successful handcuffs aft he asked an serviceman to thief him find his wife’s iPhone. Photos included successful nan suit show respective ample pain marks allegedly from nan assault.

The Sheffield Police Department did not respond to galore telephone calls and emails seeking comment. Lawyers for nan officers named successful pending lawsuits did not respond to emails.

Balentine, nan sheriff since 2023, declined to remark connected circumstantial cases. But he said that based connected his almost 30 years arsenic an serviceman successful nan area, he thought residents successful Colbert County mostly trusted rule enforcement.

“If it’s proven that it was excessive, past I’m judge that location will beryllium accountability,” he said.

Still, Balentine said he hoped nan FBI investigation would thief assuage concerns.

“Transparency is ever a bully measurement to mend immoderate fences pinch nan community,” he said.

Leigh Richardson had known her hubby since he was 17. She remembers Dennoriss, known affectionately arsenic “Na-Na,” arsenic a lukewarm begetter to their 5 children. But she besides said his fearfulness of nan constabulary was not new.

“He was frightened astatine that young age,” Richardson said.

Richardson said that aft filing nan suit her hubby was often stopped by police. In those months, he was “trying to enactment retired of nan way,” she said.

Sheffield Mayor Steve Stanley said Dennoriss Richardson had travel to his agency astatine slightest erstwhile to definitive concerns that he was being profiled. Stanley said he assured Richardson that immoderate officers reported done charismatic channels would beryllium investigated.

The Sheffield Police Department did not corroborate whether aliases really often nan section pulled complete Richardson.

Court records show Dennoriss Richardson had a agelong history of run-ins pinch section rule enforcement, but nan mostly of nan charges successful national and authorities courts did not stick.

Dennoriss Richardson pleaded blameworthy to supplier possession successful 2006 and was sentenced to 5 years successful prison. In much than 15 years since then, tribunal records show Richardson was arrested astatine slightest six further times by nan Sheffield Police Department, for charges ranging from disorderly behaviour to robbery to assault.

None of those charges, isolated from for a postulation usurpation for expired tags, resulted successful a conviction, according to disposable tribunal records.

In nan aforesaid week that Richardson revenge his suit against nan department, he was charged pinch trafficking meth. He had been arrested successful a location wherever narcotics allegedly were found. Richardson was retired connected enslaved erstwhile he died.

Stanley said he firmly supports holding officers accountable for misconduct but emphasized his overwhelming assurance successful them.

“I person preached and judge that nan mostly of officers, astatine least, admit that everybody deserves respect,” Stanley said.

Still, amid nan looming investigation, uncertainty successful nan organization prevails.

In early October, Richardson’s friends and family filled nan pews of nan mini Trinity Memorial Funeral Home to commemorate his life. The singing and sermons were punctuated by calls for justice.

At nan pulpit, Van Daniel, Richardson’s attorney, said Richardson “believed successful transparency and accountability. He stood up against constabulary misconduct.”

There was a dependable chorus of “amens” from nan crowd arsenic Van Daniel spoke.

“His family and nan Sheffield organization merit answers,” he said. “We merit answers.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This communicative includes chat of suicide. If you aliases personification you cognize needs help, nan nationalist termination and situation lifeline successful nan U.S. is disposable by calling aliases texting 988.

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Riddle is simply a corps personnel for nan Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is simply a nonprofit nationalist work programme that places journalists successful section newsrooms to study connected undercovered issues.