More than 100 people marched from Sheffield to Tuscumbia on Saturday in support of the family of a Black man found dead at an abandoned house in Colbert County on Sept. 28, after he filed a federal lawsuit earlier this year accusing Sheffield police officers of brutality.

Dennoriss Richardson, 39, of Sheffield, was found hanging by a rope on the litter-strewn carport of an abandoned house surrounded by overgrown weeds. Colbert County Sheriff Eric Balentine ruled the death a suicide.

Family members say he would have never committed suicide, and that he had no reason to drive to such a remote location that he had no connection with. They carried signs saying “Justice for NaNa,” a reference to their nickname for Richardson, who is survived by five children and was known for coaching in youth sports leagues.

The FBI agreed in October to investigate the case, at Balentine’s request.

On Saturday afternoon, marchers started at the Sheffield City Hall, near the jail where Richardson said officers restrained and tazed him. They concluded the march about two miles away at the steps of the Colbert County Courthouse, where a series of speakers complained of a litany of perceived racial injustice perpetrated by law enforcement officers.

Sheriff Balentine stood by as civil rights attorney Roderick Van Daniel, who represented Richardson in the federal lawsuit, questioned Balentine’s ruling of suicide in the case.

Balentine said he felt the peaceful rally went well.

“The people who were in charge of getting everything together, they did just as they promised, and we did too, and everybody was able to exercise their First Amendment rights, and that’s what we want them to do – a lot of people suffered in the community,” Balentine said. “Everybody got to speak what was on their heart.”

Balentine said he has touched base with the FBI to ask about a time frame on the investigation, but still doesn’t know how long it will take. “Sometimes those wheels turn slow,” Balentine said. “It’s just up to them. I don’t know where they’re at on it.”

Sheffield Police officers and Colbert County Sheriff’s deputies provided a security escort for the march.

Richardson filed a lawsuit Feb. 26 against several Sheffield police officers, alleging abusive behavior while Richardson was detained in the Sheffield City Jail for five days from Nov. 30 until Dec. 1, 2022.

His widow, Leigh Ann Richardson, said he was later arrested again on a drug charge and told it would be dropped if he dropped the lawsuit, but he refused, she said.

Several marchers expressed skepticism that Richardson killed himself.

“It’s fishy,” said Beth Colburn, a white woman from Muscle Shoals who brought her teenage son and daughter to march.

“We have been mistreated long enough,” said Michael Poole, of Sheffield. “It’s something that’s not adding up.”

Lorenza Collier, president of the Tri-County NAACP chapter that includes Colbert, Lauderdale and Franklin counties, said marchers want to show their concern for the Richardson family.

“I’m out here to pray we can get peace and understanding,” he said.

Rodney Gordon, another NAACP activist who spoke, said the march and rally was not intended to accuse anyone of wrongdoing.

“We want to raise awareness of what happened, and get to the facts,” he said. “We want to get some answers.”