The Citizens of the Walker County Community are calling for the immediate resignation of Sheriff Nick Smith and all those involved in the death of Anthony "Tony" Mitchell. A full list of the aims and demands for this position are listed below.
This family deserves Justice for the death of Anthony Mitchell and the continued deceitful actions of the Walker County Sheriff's Department must be stopped. The Department must be held accountable for their actions (and inactions) and for all the ways that they continue to wield power over our community in destructive and violent ways.
A wellness check should not be a death sentence, and citizens should not live in fear of their elected officials. Anthony deserved better, Walker County deserves better.
Join with us and sign the petition to let the Sheriff's Department know that we will not stand by while they continue to act unjustly and exhibit cruelty to the most vulnerable in our community!
Our Full List of Aims and Demands
Immediate
The Release of ALL footage to Tony’s family, both body cams and jail surveillance, pertaining to the arrest, and detainment of Anthony “Tony” Mitchell from the time of the wellness check until his death at the Hospital.The Immediate resignation of Sheriff Nick Smith and Corrections Officer TJ Armstrong and that all officers and personnel involved directly or indirectly in the events that led to the death of Anthony “Tony” Mitchell be placed on immediate unpaid administrative leave from the Walker County Sheriff’s Department pending the ongoing investigation by the FBI and SBI.
Longterm
The creation of a non-police operated emergency medical response team that will respond to all instances of medical distress and wellness checks funded by the money Walker County has, and is receiving on behalf of the National Opioid settlements.The creation of an independent police oversight committee as a means of holding the Walker County Sheriff’s Department accountable to the county’s constituents.
From the breaking CBS 42 News release:
After release of video, lawsuit claims Alabama man froze to death in police custody, was ‘likely’ placed in jail freezerby: Lee Hedgepeth, Carly Laing
"WALKER COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) – The mother of Anthony “Tony” Mitchell, a Walker County man who died in police custody in January, has filed a federal lawsuit against multiple jail officials, including Sheriff Nick Smith, alleging that authorities deprived the man of his constitutional rights by leaving him in the jail’s walk-in freezer “or similar frigid environment” for hours.
“This is one of the most appalling cases of jail abuse the country has seen,” the 37-page federal lawsuit begins. “On the night of January 25 to January 26, 2023, Anthony Don Mitchell (“Tony”) froze to death while incarcerated at the Walker County Jail.”
The case, lawyers for the family wrote in the complaint, “raises an appalling question: how does a man literally freeze to death while incarcerated in a modern, climate-controlled jail, in the custody and care of corrections officers?”
The suit alleges that Mitchell was “likely… placed in a restraint chair in the jail kitchen’s walk-in freezer or similar frigid environment and left there for hours.”
Only with the release of an internal surveillance video recorded by a correctional officer did what happened to Mitchell begin to come to light, according to Jon Goldfarb, a lawyer representing Mitchell’s family. That correctional officer was later fired by the sheriff’s department, according to the lawyer.
A surveillance video obtained and first reported by CBS 42 shows what the family says appears to be their loved one being carried into the loading area of the Walker County Jail. In it, Mitchell is limp, his head and feet dangling as uniformed personnel — “Sheriff” emblazoned on one of their vests — lay his body just outside a marked police SUV. In total, four uniformed officials then work to put him into the police vehicle."
You can read the full article here.
The full lawsuit can be read here.
Don't Just Sign, Make some Noise!
The only way this family gets justice is if we are a thorn in the side of this system. It may seem useless but contacting representatives (if nothing more than to be a pain) is immensely important. They are complicit so long as they do nothing and do not deserve any more rest than Nick Smith and the Sheriff’s Department.
Our leaders are supposed to be accountable to their constituents, and we have the ability to try and leverage that for good here. Please take some time to give our Representatives a call and email. More than once if you have time.
Contact List
Lead subcommittee of investigations for the US Senate(!)
Senator Ossoff
Phone: 470-786-7800
Senator Greg Reed
Home: 205-295-1523
State House: 334-261-0894
greg.reed@senate.gov
Tim Wadsworth
District: 205-712-1792
District Fax: 205-384-4368
State House: 334-261-0554
wadsworth.tim654321@gmail.com
wadsworth@centurytel.net
Governor Ivey
Phone: 334-242-7100
Email contact form: https://contact.governor.alabama.gov/contact.aspx
ALEA- State Bureau of Investigations Unit
Chris Inabinett- SBI Director
Phone: 334-676-6006
Email: sbi.investigations@alea.gov
ALEA Email Contact Form: https://www.alea.gov/contact-alea/email-us
Attorney General's office for investigations
Phone: 334-242-7300
Email Contact form: https://www.alabamaag.gov/generalcontact
Walker County Coroner's office
Coroner Joey Vick
Phone: 205-384-8729 / 205-282-1085
Email: PastorJoey@netzero.net
ScriptsPhone Script
Hello, my name is [Your Name] and I am a constituent of Walker County Alabama. I am contacting you because I want to know what you will do in response to the murder of Anthony Mitchell by the Walker County Sheriff’s Department and to prevent further instances of police brutality in our community. I am calling to urge you to condemn police brutality and hold Sheriff Nick Smith and all those involved in this torture and subsequent death of Anthony Mitchell accountable for their inhumane and deceitful actions.
A wellness check should not be a death sentence, and citizens should not live in fear of their elected officials. This family deserves Justice for the death of Anthony Mitchell and the continued harmful actions of the Walker County Sheriff's Department must be stopped.
Email Script Representatives
Dear [Representative],
Hello, my name is [Your Name] and I am a constituent of Walker County Alabama. I am contacting you because I want to know what you will do in response to the murder of Anthony Mitchell by the Walker County Sheriff’s Department and to prevent further instances of police brutality in our community. I am calling to urge you to condemn police brutality and hold Sheriff Nick Smith and all those involved in this torture and subsequent death of Anthony Mitchell accountable for their inhumane and deceitful actions.
A wellness check should not be a death sentence, and citizens should not live in fear of their elected officials. This family deserves Justice for the death of Anthony Mitchell and the continued harmful actions of the Walker County Sheriff's Department must be stopped.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Resist BotYou can use the above email script with resist bot to send a letter to our state representatives directly from your phone via text messaging. It is super simple.
Text RESIST to 50409 and follow the prompts. Resist bot will send letters/emails to Governor Ivey, Tim Wadsworth, and Greg Reed all at the same time if you use it.
