In Jefferson City, Missouri, the family of Othel Moore Jr., a Black man who died in a Missouri prison, has filed a lawsuit seeking surveillance video footage leading up to his death. The incident occurred in December 2023, with four prison guards charged with murder and a fifth with accessory to involuntary manslaughter. All five former guards have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Moore’s mother and sister had requested the prison surveillance video through Missouri’s public records laws in January, but they have not yet received the footage. The family’s attorney filed a lawsuit on Tuesday alleging that the Department of Corrections violated the Sunshine Law by withholding the requested video intentionally. The agency cited concerns about security as the reason for not releasing the videos.
According to prosecutors, Moore was subjected to a search and strip-down during a contraband sweep in his cell. He was handcuffed behind his back, taken outside, pepper-sprayed, put in a spit hood, leg wrap, and restraint chair. Despite complying with orders and showing no aggression, Moore was restrained further. He was later moved to a hospital wing where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner ruled his death as positional asphyxiation, listing it as a homicide.
The Department of Corrections spokesperson, Karen Pojmann, refrained from commenting on the pending litigation but mentioned that the department fully cooperated with the external law enforcement investigation. The case continues to unfold as the family seeks answers surrounding the circumstances that led to Moore’s tragic death in prison.
