Former Walker Co. corrections officer, whistle blower in jail death case appears in court

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Karen Kelly is out on bond following an arraignment on a federal civil rights charge Thursday. Kelly is charged with deprivation of rights under the color of law in connection to the death of Anthony “Tony” Mitchell.

According to Department of Justice filings, Mitchell was denied medical and mental health care while in the Walker County Jail in January 2023. Mitchell died in custody two weeks after his arrest.

“Her desire is to make sure nothing like this happens again,” stated Kelly’s attorney, Brett Bloomston following Thursday’s arraignment. “This is a small part of a much bigger picture. The Walker County Jail needs some light shed on it.”

Kelly was released on bond Thursday. She’s agreed to plead guilty to a single count of deprivation of rights under the color of law in the coming weeks. Kelly is the second correctional officer to agree to plead guilty in this case. Joshua Jones will plead guilty to conspiracy and deprivation of rights later this month. Additional arrests in this case are anticipated.

Mitchell was arrested in January 2023 after he fired a shot at Walker County Sheriff deputies who were conducting a welfare check.

Court documents explain Kelly worked the nightshift at the jail for about half the nights Mitchell was in custody. Kelly’s records indicate Mitchell was denied basic care available to all inmates when entering the jail, despite showing signs of mental and medical distress. He was kept in a cell with only a drain in the floor and was mostly housed “naked, without a mat or blanket, left to lie on the cold, bare, cement floor.”

While Kelly shared her concerns with her immediate supervisor, she didn’t share it with other staff or alert proper authorities due to the culture at the jail and fear of retaliation.

Mitchell was ultimately taken to a Jasper hospital where he died.

“There are levels of culpability which means, there are different phases of what folks to do to get themselves into trouble. She’s at the lowest rung,” Bloomston explained. “She’s accepted responsibility for her inaction, that’s likely what has caused other folks to come to the table and enter guilty pleas.”

Mitchell’s death has been ruled a homicide.

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