MONTGOMERY, Ala. — In a disturbing revelation, it has been uncovered that personnel at a Walker County jail manipulated the living conditions of inmates to be deplorably unsanitary in an effort to persuade county officials to raise budget allocations and salaries. This appalling strategy led to the death of Tony Mitchell, a 33-year-old inmate, who succumbed to sepsis and hypothermia after enduring two weeks in an unclean confinement area devoid of basic sanitation facilities and medical care.
Benjamin Shoemaker, a former lieutenant at the facility, recently agreed to plead guilty to three federal counts involving the deprivation of civil rights while misusing his authority. He is the ninth individual associated with the jail to admit to wrongdoing connected to Mitchell’s tragic demise in January 2023. Mitchell had been incarcerated following a welfare check request from a family member who had reasons to be concerned for his wellbeing.
Details surrounding Mitchell’s case reveal a range of neglectful practices, illustrating the harsh and inhumane treatment he endured during his incarceration. For the entirety of the two weeks leading up to his death, he was often stripped down, damp, cold, and frequently lying in excrement on a bare concrete floor devoid of any blanket or bedding. His requests for medical attention were ignored, leading to a three-hour delay before he was taken to a hospital despite urgent demands from the nursing staff that his condition required immediate care.
The plea agreement highlighted how Mitchell’s suffering was exploited as part of a conspiracy to illustrate the desperate need for increased funding for the jail. Shoemaker had been directed to intentionally create horrific living conditions, using Mitchell and his unsanitary cell as a “prop” to create a shocking scenario for a visiting county commissioner just days before Mitchell’s eventual death.
During the commissioner’s visit, a different jail staff member unknowingly attempted to improve conditions by clearing out the cell, only to be reprimanded by Shoemaker for doing so. Furthermore, Shoemaker coerced another inmate into acting erratically during the commissioner’s visit, incentivizing this behavior with rewards of sweet treats.
While the name of the visiting commissioner remains undisclosed, records from a subsequent meeting of the Walker County commissioners verify that such a visit took place. Remarkably, no mention was made of Mitchell’s dire conditions during that meeting. Instead, the sheriff praised the commissioner for offering new equipment to the department and did not face any implication in Shoemaker’s plea agreement.
In a separate meeting, the commissioner expressed discomfort while observing conditions within the jail and acknowledged a pressing need for structural improvements and additional staffing for the facility.
Beyond the case of Mitchell, Shoemaker’s guilty plea also revealed that he had physically assaulted multiple inmates on different occasions. His actions led to a promotion that seemingly rewarded violent behavior within a correctional environment known for fostering a culture that normalized the abuse of inmates by corrections staff.
A legal representative for the Walker County sheriff’s department and Shoemaker, both embroiled in civil litigation, declined to provide any comments concerning the ongoing case. Attempts to reach the sheriff’s office for additional statements have gone unanswered. Shoemaker’s formal arraignment is slated for February 13, as outlined in court filings.
