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

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The FBI is investigating the death of a black man in Alabama who was found hanging in an abandoned home at the request of a local sheriff prompted by concerns from community members who accuse local law enforcement of sustained and 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.