More former correctional officers to plead guilty in connection to Walker Co. inmate’s death

WALKER COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - Federal court records unsealed late Tuesday charge two former Walker County correctional officers in an ongoing investigation into the death of inmate Tony Mitchell, who died in custody in January 2023.

Bailey Clark Ganey is charged with conspiracy against rights and Heather Lasha Craig is charged with deprivation of rights under the color of law. Records indicate Ganey and Craig agreed to plead guilty to these counts.

Former Walker County correctional officer Joshua Jones has already pleaded guilty to similar counts and former Walker County correctional officer Karen Kelly has agreed to plead guilty.

Mitchell was arrested in January 2023 after he reportedly fired a shot at Walker County Sheriff deputies who were conducting a welfare check, according to court records.

Department of Justice filings cite various members of the jail staff denied Mitchell necessary medical and mental health services.

Court records allege Mitchell was denied those services due to being combative, however DOJ filings cite Mitchell was barely able to walk when he first arrived at the jail.

Like Jones, Ganey admitted to federal investigators that he showed “hostility” towards Mitchell and made comments after his arrest that he should have been killed for shooting at deputies.

Ganey was 22 at the time of Mitchell’s arrest, working in the jail with little training according to his charging documents.

“In an effort to ingratiate himself with his supervisors, he did not make any effort to obtain medical or mental health care for [Mitchell], despite the demonstrated needs for such services,” court records cite.

Ganey was working the night before Mitchell’s death and told federal investigators that he was “only able to raise his head to mutter incoherently.”

Despite his condition, Ganey did nothing to help Mitchell.

The next morning, Mitchell was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. His internal body temperate was 72 degrees, according to federal court documents.

Mitchell’s manner of death has been ruled a homicide.

Craig’s court filings suggest she also watched Mitchell’s condition deteriorate under their care but failed to speak up out of fear of retaliation.

Craig’s plea agreement notes Mitchell was left naked, laying on the cement floor of a cold cell while he was in custody.

“Defendant Craig observed [Mitchell] act in ways that suggested he was suffering from significant mental illness, such as running himself into his cell wall, rubbing feces over himself and demonstrating an inability to be lucid during his attempts at communication, including calling her by the name of his sister despite defendant Craig identifying herself,” the plea agreement stated.

Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith responded to the charges, stating, “While today’s news of charges against two former employees is a step towards the resolution of this case, it is still an ongoing investigation and maintaining the integrity of that investigation is still of the utmost importance for all parties involved. For that reason, I will decline to comment until the investigation is concluded.”

The attorney representing Ganey provided the following statement to WBRC:

On Thursday, Oct. 10, Grayson Colin Woods agreed to plead guilty to deprivation of rights under the color of law. Newly unsealed federal court documents shows Woods was on duty for seven shifts when Mitchell was in a booking cell.

According to Woods, Mitchell was frequently not lucid and he approached a member of the nursing staff and fellow jailer about how Mitchell was housed.

Court documents say a nurse told him a member of the command staff ordered Mitchell to be kept in the holding cell.

Additional arrests in this case are possible.

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