A local sheriff asks the FBI to investigate the death of a black man hanged in Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – The FBI is investigating the death of a black man in Alabama who was found hanging in an abandoned home, at the request of the local sheriff, sparking concerns among community members who accuse local law enforcement of long-running cooperation with unchecked misconduct.

Sheriff’s deputies found 39-year-old Dennoriss Richardson in September in a rural part of Colbert County, miles from his home in Sheffield, a city of about 10,000 on the Tennessee River.

The Colbert County Sheriff’s Office ruled Richardson’s death a suicide. However, Richardson’s wife, Leigh Richardson, stated that this was not true, explaining that her husband had not left any note and had no connection with the house where he was found.

Instead, the 40-year-old fears her husband’s death is related to a lawsuit he filed in February against local police. Dennoriss Richardson, who coached kids in baseball and soccer, said in prison that he was attacked, denied medical treatment, tear-gassed and shocked with a Taser.

Leigh Richardson said she was not accusing a specific person but assured her husband did not commit suicide.

She is not alone in her faith. The widespread skepticism surrounding Richardson’s death underscores the deep-seated distrust of local law enforcement in Colbert County. In a region where hangings follow a long history of state-sanctioned lynchings of black people, county residents maintain that local law enforcement is using excessive force.

Sheriff Eric Balentine, who confirmed that the FBI had accepted his request for an investigation, said his department had “exhausted all resources” in the investigation.

“We are confident in the results of our findings, but feel this can provide the family with greater peace of mind,” Balentine said.

A spokesman for the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office confirmed that the FBI is aware of Dennoris Richardson’s death and is reviewing allegations of misconduct.

Tori Bailey, president of the local NAACP chapter and the only black member of Colbert County’s six-member county commission, said the community’s reaction to Richardson’s death was partly related to the region’s harrowing history of lynchings.

According to the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit criminal justice reform group, 359 lynchings were reported in Alabama between 1877 and 1943. There were 11 in Colbert County alone.

Bailey stated that while these accusations may have no merit, it is logical that the community would react to the hanging of a black man and demand a more thorough investigation. She said that while some officers try to do the right thing, she has documented and investigated many incidents of excessive force in the county during her 12 years as NAACP president.

“There has long been a kind of disconnect between communities of color and law enforcement. Unfortunately, many of us do not feel that law enforcement is actually there to serve and protect,” Bailey said.

Marvin Long, a 57-year-old black man and lifelong resident of Colbert County, knew the Dennoriss Richardson family well while growing up. He shares skepticism about the suicide verdict and said Richardson’s death increased his fear of retaliation.

“To this day I hate the sight of a police car,” Long said. “Now I’m more scared than ever.”

Last year, Long sued Sheffield Police. After he inquired about an unrelated arrest that occurred just outside his property in 2021, body camera footage shows officers following Long to his home, dragging him up the porch steps and pelting him with a police K9 as he shouted for help. The complaint says Long was unarmed.

Richardson and Long are among five black and Latino men represented by civil rights attorney Roderick Van Daniel who have filed lawsuits against the department in recent years.

“Citizens live in fear of retaliation,” Van Daniel said.

In one case, an off-duty Sheffield police officer was caught on surveillance footage punching and pulling a gun on a black man in a liquor store. The officer was later convicted of assault, menacing and reckless endangerment. He was fired from the department.

In a separate lawsuit, a 57-year-old chiropractor claims he was tasered 18 times while handcuffed after he asked an officer for help finding his wife’s iPhone. Photos attached to the lawsuit show several large burn marks, allegedly caused by the assault.

The Sheffield Police Department did not respond to numerous calls and emails seeking comment. Lawyers for the officers named in the ongoing lawsuits did not respond to emails.

Balentine, who has served as sheriff since 2023, declined to comment on specific cases. However, he said that given his nearly 30 years of experience as an officer in the area, he believes Colbert County residents generally trust law enforcement.

“If it is proven that it was excessive, I am sure there will be accountability,” he said.

Still, Balentine expressed hope that the FBI’s investigation would help alleviate concerns.

“Transparency is always a good way to break down barriers in community relations,” he said.

Leigh Richardson had known her husband since he was 17. He remembers Dennoriss, affectionately known as “Na-Na”, as a warm-hearted father of five children. But she also said his fear of police is nothing new.

“He was terrified at such a young age,” Richardson said.

Richardson said that after filing the lawsuit, her husband was frequently stopped by police. During those months, “he tried to stay away,” she said.

Sheffield Mayor Steve Stanley said Dennoriss Richardson came to his office on at least one occasion to express concerns that he was being profiled. Stanley assured Richardson that any officer reported through official channels would be investigated.

The Sheffield Police Department would not confirm whether or how often it stopped Richardson.

Court records show Dennoriss Richardson has had a long history of conflicts with local law enforcement, but most of the charges brought in federal and state courts have not been upheld.

Dennoriss Richardson pleaded guilty to drug possession in 2006 and was sentenced to five years in prison. Court records show that more than 15 years have passed since then. Richardson was arrested at least six times by Sheffield police on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to robbery to assault.

Available court records show that none of these charges, with the exception of a traffic violation related to expired tags, resulted in a conviction.

The same week that Richardson filed a lawsuit against the department, he was charged with trafficking methamphetamine. He was detained in a house where drugs were allegedly found. Richardson was free at the time of his death.

Stanley said he strongly supports holding officers accountable for misconduct, but stressed he has great confidence in them.

“I have preached and I believe that at least most officers recognize that everyone deserves respect,” Stanley said.

Still, uncertainty persists in the community as the investigation approaches.

In early October, Richardson’s friends and family filled the pews of the small Trinity Memorial Funeral Home to remember his life. Chants and sermons were punctuated by calls for justice.

From the pulpit, Van Daniel, Richardson’s lawyer, said Richardson “believes in transparency and accountability. He opposed police misconduct.”

As Van Daniel spoke, there was a continuous chorus of “amen” from the crowd.

“His family and the Sheffield community deserve answers,” he said. “We deserve answers.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the U.S. National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988.

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Riddle is a corps member of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that brings journalists to local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.