Wrongful Death Lawsuit Awaits Alabama

Scottie Alton Johnson, a 45-year old Alabama resident, and ward of the state’s prison system, died from complications from COVID-19 on August 1, 2020, according to autopsy results.

Records show that on July 31, authorities took him to a hospital nearest the Bullock Correctional Facility which is located in Union Springs, in Bullock County. Though authorities did not specify, Bullock County Hospital at 104 Bullock Drive, Union Springs, Alabama is less than 3 miles straight down the road, West from the prison.

He died August 1.

At the time of his admission to hospital, he was not thought to be infected with the novel coronavirus, and a COVID-19 test conducted upon his admission resulted negative.

A full autopsy was performed, and the Alabama Department of Corrections stated on Friday, 16 October 2020 that his cause of death was caused by “complications from COVID-19.”

The Alabama Department of Corrections stated that was known to have “suffered from preexisting medical conditions,” though they did not elaborate.

As reported by Howard Koplowitz with AL dot com on 16 October, “As of Wednesday, the agency had four state inmates test positive – one each at Bullock Correctional Facility, Draper Quarantine Intake Facility in Elmore, Limestone Correctional Facility and North Alabama Community Based Facility/Community Work Center. Since the coronavirus pandemic began in mid-March, 453 state inmates have had confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 39 of those cases still active.”

Information about his sentence and the crime for which he was adjudicated has been purposely omitted because it is not pertinent to the story.

“I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’“
– Jesus of Nazareth, Matthew 25:43 (NIV)