Inmate Klifton Adam Bond, previously brutally beaten, dies under suspicious circumstances, prompting legal action

The death of Klifton Adam Bond raises questions about Alabama prison safety and family demands for transparency and accountability.

Klifton Adam Bond, whose family provided testimony last year regarding the harsh conditions in Alabama prisons, was found deceased on Thursday at the St. Clair Correctional Facility.

According to Lauren Faraino, the attorney representing Bond’s mother, Bond had unusually expressed fears of imminent danger just days before his death. These concerns were reported to the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) seven days before Bond’s demise, leading Faraino to file a lawsuit against the state on behalf of Bond’s mother.

On Thursday, Faraino told the Alabama Daily News that Bond contacted his family and expressed genuine fear for his life, which was uncharacteristic of him. She mentioned meeting with him multiple times, where he had consistently asserted his toughness and ability to take care of himself.

However, a few days before his death, Bond called with a sincere fear in his voice, expressing concern about his imminent demise.

An ADOC spokesperson confirmed Bond’s death, stating that he was discovered unresponsive in his cell, and despite immediate life-saving efforts by the staff, they were unsuccessful.

The ADOC Law Enforcement Services Division is now investigating Bond’s death.

Bond was severely beaten by another prisoner in November while he was being held at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer. Bond was serving a 20-year sentence for first-degree robbery and burglary. 

Bond’s mother, Rebecca Crafton, only became aware of her son’s condition after discovering he had undergone brain surgery for the injuries sustained during the assault.

Safety concerns and transfer request

Crafton and her attorney formally asked the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) to transfer Bond to the Hamilton Aged and Infirmed Center, a prison designed for elderly individuals or those with health conditions. On December 28, Faraino proposed in an email that Bond undergo another transfer to ADOC, simultaneously informing ADOC of Bond’s recent statements indicating imminent danger.

In the email shared with ADN, Faraino conveyed her message, stating she was writing to alert them that Klifton Adam Bond believes he is in danger due to certain officers.

She continued, detailing that other inmates had informed Adam that these employees were allegedly plotting to remove him from the view of cameras in order to seek revenge for his attempts to seek medical help for another inmate.

In addition, Faraino emphasized that Adam is not one to openly acknowledge his fears, even in the face of last month’s attack, but she believes he has a genuine fear regarding a potential future attack.

Despite the request, Klifton Adam Bond was not transferred to Hamilton; instead, on Tuesday, he was moved to the St. Clair Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison.

Missing Inmate Organs

Currently, Faraino is working to stop Bond’s autopsy; she is engaged in separate legal proceedings against the state concerning the procedures involved in state-ordered autopsies on inmates. In the lawsuit, Faraino specifically claims that the organs of inmates have been discovered missing.

In the lawsuit, Faraino, who represents Dotson’s family, claimed that Brandon Dotson, a former inmate at the Ventress Correctional Facility, had his body returned to his family without a heart. Under contractual agreements, ADOC directs either the University of Alabama at Birmingham or the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences to perform autopsies.

A spokesperson for UAB, named in the lawsuit, denied in a statement to The Washington Post any involvement in Dotson’s autopsy, while the ADFS declined to comment.

Faraino highlights the urgency of halting Bond’s autopsy, citing instances where inmates’ organs were removed during state-ordered autopsies without consent. He asserted that state-ordered autopsies without consent had resulted in the removal of inmates’ organs, citing Dotson’s case as just one example.

Alabama’s prison conditions have faced intense scrutiny in the last decade due to staffing shortages, crowding, and increased instances of violence, resulting in one of the nation’s highest inmate mortality rates. The state’s prison system is currently under the threat of federal takeover due to violent prison conditions and shortages in medical and mental health care.

Prison Reform

Currently, to address the issue, the state is in the process of constructing a new men’s prison in Elmore County, with a second facility planned for Escambia County. State leaders emphasize that these new facilities, costing $1.08 billion and equipped with modern technology, aim to establish a safer environment for both the prison population and corrections officers.

Representative Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, a prominent voice in the Legislature calling for prison reform, emphasized the alarming conditions in Alabama prisons. He received numerous emails from families and friends of incarcerated Alabamians detailing severe issues within the prisons, prompting him to threaten blocking all state contracts until the ADOC addresses the concerns.

Faraino’s lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Alabama Southern Division, seeks to halt Bond’s state-ordered autopsy or allow an independent medically qualified observer during the procedure. She emphasizes the need for transparency and respect for the families of individuals who die in state custody.

Source: https://aldailynews.com/alabama-inmate-discovered-dead-days-after-expressing-fears-of-imminent-danger/