Man tortured, beaten to death over 2 days in Alabama prison, family alleges

A man who was imprisoned in Alabama has been declared dead just two weeks before his upcoming release, with his family alleging that he was beat up and sexually assaulted by prion gang members in the days before his death.

22-year-old father Daniel Williams was behind bars for a 12-month sentence at Staton Correctional Facility Elmore, Alabama after he was previously found guilty of second-degree theft, the Daily Mail reports.

A warden discovered Daniel unresponsive in his dorm on Oct. 22. Williams was determined to be brain dead upon being checked into the hospital, according to a GoFundMe campaign posted by his family. He was pulled off life support on Nov. 5 and passed away four days later. 

The Williams family notably was not informed of Danie's hospitalization until three days after it had occurred, on Oct. 25, according to the outlet. 

Despite the warden allegedly informing Williams' family that he had died of a drug overdose, insiders of the prison told the Alabama Political Reporter that Daniel was "kidnapped, bound, assaulted and sold out" by another prisoner for approximately "two or three days."

Daniel's father, Terry Williams, retained an attorney after his son's death. He reportedly had asked the hospital for a rape kit, and had the request denied until his lawyer got involved. 

In the last two years, at minimum of 12 prison cops who work at Staton Correctional Facility as well as the adjoining Elmore and Draper prisons have been arrested over assaulting inmates, per the Daily Mail.

Federal authorities have been investigating prisons in the state of Alabama ever since a lawsuit was filed by the Department of Justice in 2020, the outlet additionally notes. A report from the DOJ drafted in the year prior accused the state of not doing enough to stop inmate-on-inmate violence and sexual abuse in addition to safeguarding them from excessive force by staff, and overall not providing safe living conditions.

A total of 13 men's prisons in Alabama were investigated over a period of 24 days as a part of the lawsuit. Interviews were also arranged with around 1,000 inmates.