Mothers, a daughter, an aunt, an uncle, and friends of men incarcerated in Alabama prisons told state lawmakers Wednesday about loved ones beaten, raped, and killed in state custody.

Speaking to the Legislature’s prison oversight committee, they called for urgent action.

“It is heartbreaking that we as Alabama citizens, when our loved ones go into an Alabama prison, we pray every day that they do not come out in a body bag because that’s what happening repeatedly,” said Kelly Helton of Foley, who spoke to the committee on behalf of a friend whose son was severely beaten at Donaldson Correctional Facility in November. “No one is looking. No one is listening.

“Your hands are not tied like ours are. Hear us. Hear what we’re saying. Heed it. It’s true. If you doubt it, just look. It’s everywhere.“

Allegations of excessive dangers in Alabama prisons are not new. In December 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state alleging that Alabama violates the constitutional rights of incarcerated men because of the levels of violence in prisons. The state has acknowledged problems but is fighting the allegations of constitutional violations.

Kevin Hyatt told the committee about his nephew, Louis Christopher Latham, who died after he was beaten by another inmate at Ventress Correctional Facility in October. Latham had been seriously injured in another assault in August, when he was struck in the head with a weight at Staton Correctional Facility.

Hyatt said his nephew was about three years from finishing a 21-year sentence and was planning to move to Georgia and work for Hyatt, who is in the automotive business.

“We got a call four days after my nephew was beat to death that he’s in the hospital,” Hyatt said. “He was life-flighted out of Ventress. When we get to the hospital, he’s hooked up to machines. Doctor comes in, gives us the prognosis of, ‘He’s brain dead.’ And for what?

“Christopher was in there for a robbery. He got a 21-year sentence for that robbery. He had already done 18 years on it. We had to elect to take him off life support.”

Hyatt said he believes one of biggest problems in prisons is the failure to protect inmates from those most prone to violence.

“The biggest failing, honestly, is their classification system,” Hyatt said. “Instead of moving an inmate into a prison with an empty bed, they should have made sure that that inmate wasn’t a danger to the other inmates. In other words, a violent offender with a nonviolent offender. That’s what happened to Chris.”

Hyatt told the five lawmakers on the committee at Wednesday’s meeting that they had enough information to see that changes are necessary.

“Guys you’ve got to do something about what’s going on inside,” Hyatt said. “All of y’all seem like very intelligent individuals. You have data, you have emails, you have pictures. There’s no wonder you’ve got a shortage of correctional officers. Who would want to work in an environment where if I go to work today, I could be that statistic?”

Hyatt said he has met other families who fear for their loved ones safety.

“I couldn’t help Christopher when he was alive,” Hyatt said. “But I want to help Christopher in his death. And I want to help other families that don’t have to go through what we went through.”

Leaders of advocacy groups, including Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice and the ACLU of Alabama, also spoke to the committee during the meeting at the Alabama State House.

Carla Crowder, executive director of Alabama Appleseed, told lawmakers about the tragedy of Daniel Terry Williams, who died in November from injuries suffered in an assault. The death came just a few days before Williams, 22, would have finished a one-year sentence for second-degree theft. Crowder said the death was preventable

“It was not overcrowding or buildings or low staff that created the culture of violence and incompetence that led to Mr. Williams death,” Crowder said.

Crowder said the suspect in Williams’ death had a long track record of sexual assaults and other violence in prison but was placed in medium security in an open bay dorm.

“It’s hard to even begin to suggest remedies sufficient to correct this kind of unconscionable neglect and incompetence,” Crowder told the committee. “At a minimum, it appears that additional oversight of ADOC is warranted.”

Crowder said Alabama Appleseed is working on a bill to increase oversight of the prison system. The next legislative session starts in February.

“We are here to suggest reasonable, pragmatic, bipartisan responses,” Crowder said. “I hope you will consider the oversight bill.”

Crowder and some of the other speakers urged the lawmakers to make unannounced visits to the prisons.

Barbara Anne Turner of Bay Minette spoke on behalf of her nephew, Adam Bond, who was beaten at Donaldson last month. Turner said the family learned that Bond had been taken to a hospital from another inmate and had to call the prison repeatedly for 24 hours and seek assistance from U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell before getting any information. Bond is now in the infirmary at Kilby Correctional Facility but the family has not been allowed to see him.

“We were not allowed to talk to the doctor that was treating him,” Turner said. “We were not allowed to talk to a nurse. We were not allowed to visit him at the hospital. We begged the warden, just please let us see him.

“He may have done some things wrong. And he was there to serve his time. We understand that. But he did not deserve to be beaten with a lead pipe on his head. Stabbed all over his body. And we as family, we should have rights. He may belong to the state of Alabama but he also belongs to us.”

Bond’s mother, Rebecca Grafton, said he had brain surgery after the beating. A photo on her phone showed a scar running from behind Bond’s ear to the top of his head.

“They’re pretty much telling us it’s February before we can even make an appointment to see him,” Grafton said. “We’re talking to him on the phone. That’s it.”

The rate of paroles granted by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles has declined sharply over the last few years. Black men are less likely to be granted parole than whites.

Latosha Williams of Mobile told the committee that her son was raped in prison in February. Williams said he was turned down for parole last year and was told he would not be considered again for five years. She fears for his safety.

“He has spent a lot of time fighting and defending himself,” Williams said. “But he’s only going to get written up for defending himself. And then that will have an effect on him when he comes up for parole again.”

Helton, the woman from Foley who spoke on behalf of her friend’s son, said that contributes to hopelessness and violence.

“We’re putting them in a situation that there’s no hope for them,” Helton said. “None. And when you put that many people in a position that there’s no hope, you have to ask yourself what do you think is going to happen? Especially when the people in charge are not looking, are not paying attention.

“Our family members are not safe. Not even close to being safe. And we’re treating them worse than we treat the animals that are in the humane society in the state of Alabama. That is wrong. They are somebody’s loved one.”