A Walker Co. mother suing the sheriff after her son dies while in custody

Startling leaked surveillance video showing Tony Mitchell’s condition prior to his death
The mother of Anthony Don Mitchell, 33, filed the lawsuit, alleging abuse and neglect leading to her son’s death. (Source: WBRC)
Published: Feb. 14, 2023 at 7:15 PM CST
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - An update on a lawsuit in Walker County involving a man who died in custody. We have new information and disturbing video and pictures. We want to warn you, they are hard to look at.

As we told you on Monday, the mother of Anthony “Tony” Mitchell seen here before his arrest, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Walker County sheriff and several jail staff members after Mitchell died in custody.

Some people held a protest outside the jail throughout the day on Monday.

Protestors are demanding answers, and say what they have heard from the sheriff’s office does not line up with the security footage circulating online.

Mitchell’s lawyers released this video to us this afternoon.

It shows Mitchell being taken from the Jail to a Walker County Sheriff’s vehicle for transportation to the hospital, but this supposedly comes after hours of neglect, and the accusation that Mitchell was placed inside the jail kitchen’s walk-in freezer as punishment for giving the deputies trouble, or firing on them in the first place.

I spoke with one of the protestors here today who knew Mitchell from school, and he says no one should be treated like this and the community deserves answers.

“I grew up with him and it hits a lot closer than just seeing another name on the news, and just the way it happened too. It was almost barbaric. In America, 2023 how does a prisoner or not even a prisoner, a jailee die of hypothermia,” said Protestor Austin Banks

We reached out to Walker County for comment but they declined, referring us to ALEA for all questions. At this time they have no additional statement.

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