Alabama
Family claims deceased Alabama inmate's missing heart still unaccounted for after 50 days
The Alabama Department of Corrections and staff members at Ventress Correctional Facility have not disclosed the whereabouts of a deceased inmate’s missing heart for 50 days, according to court filings on behalf of his family, who are trying to retrieve the organ before it “deteriorates” entirely.
After hearing that Brandon Clay Dotson had died in the Alabama prison on Nov. 21, his sister Audrey Marie Dotson and mother Audrey South said they spent five days trying to claim his body.
When he was finally returned to his family, they claim, they saw “bruising on the back of [his] neck and excessive swelling across his head.”
Perturbed and unsure of precisely how he died, court documents show, the family hired their own pathologist to conduct an autopsy. The 43-year-old inmate’s heart was missing from his chest cavity, the family claims in their lawsuit.
BODY OF ALABAMA INMATE WHO DIED IN PRISON RETURNED TO FAMILY WITHOUT HEART: LAWSUIT
Brandon Dotson, 43, was found dead in his cell on Nov. 21. His family did not receive his body for another five days, and were unable to hold an open casket funeral due to “severe decomposition.” The man’s heart was allegedly missing from his chest cavity. (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama)
His relatives said in their lawsuit that they are still unclear about how he died, and never received a death certificate.
Dotson had served 19 years of his 99-year sentence in prison for a burglary conviction and a parole violation at Barbour County’s Ventress Correctional Facility.
In the days before his death, Dotson allegedly told prison staff that another inmate was threatening him with violence. In response, prison staff allegedly moved Dotson from “segregated housing” into general population, where he could access drugs and be attacked easily by those seeking to harm and exploit him in the “grossly understaffed and severely overcrowded” Ventress Correctional Facility, according to the lawsuit.
Although he was not sentenced to life, the initial complaint shows, the alleged misconduct of prison staff was “tantamount to a death sentence.”
According to court filings lodged with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama last week, defendants named in the lawsuit “glaringly were not able to answer” the whereabouts of Dotson’s heart in a phone conference on Dec. 7.
The suit names Alabama Department of Corrections brass, the warden of the Ventress Correctional Facility, the director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and unnamed prison employees as defendants.
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Dotson had served 19 years of a 99-year sentence for burglary and a parole violation at Ventress Correctional Facility, pictured. (Alabama Department of Corrections)
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine is also named as a defendant, because the school is a “possible intended recipient of Mr. Dotson’s heart.”
The lawsuit cites an alleged recent history of the Alabama DOC providing “human organs and tissues” to medical students for “laboratory exercises.”
In an emailed statement in October, University of Alabama at Birmingham media specialist Brianna Hoge told Fox News Digital that the school has reviewed its records, “which show that UAB did not perform this autopsy and has not been involved in this matter,” and subsequently reached out to the family’s attorney.
Regardless, the school is still named in more recent court filings. Among 16 documents Dotson’s family are seeking from the defendants include any contracts between the Alabama Department of Corrections and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences – or any entity connected with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, including their department of pathology.
Dotson’s family successfully petitioned for an expedited discovery period, which the court imposed on all parties on Dec. 29, court documents show.
“Plaintiffs contend that there are few matters that present more of an ‘impelling urgency’ or ‘hazard of loss’ requiring swift action than in the case of a missing organ. Organs and tissues that are not adequately preserved deteriorate,” reads a Jan. 3 court filing.
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“If Brandon Dotson’s heart has not been illegally destroyed, it is of critical importance to confirm that it is being stored properly. Furthermore, the family has spent nearly fifty agonizing days wondering where the heart of their loved one currently is,” the suit reads. “Courts in nearly all districts have recognized the heightened sensitivity of proper handling of human remains. This case could not be a clearer example of mishandling remains of a deceased: the evidence available to Plaintiffs indicates that Defendants removed, potentially misplaced and improperly destroyed a human heart, and now are attempting to hide the details of such activity from the family.”
The Dotson family is now demanding various documents, including one that details the chain of command of their relatives’ body from his cell at Ventress to Abanks Medical Center, where they first saw his corpse; the document in which the prison’s warden authorized his autopsy; Dotson’s death certificate; Dotson’s autopsy report, regardless of whether it was completed; video footage from around or near Dotson’s cell at Ventress; any documentation of life-saving measures taken when Dotson was found dead; and documentation of any investigation regarding his death that was carried out.
The family’s attorney, Lauren Faraino, also asked for the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences’ policies regarding the removal and retention of human organs post-autopsy, a form from the agency given to family members of non-incarcerated prospective autopsy subjects and one used for incarcerated individual’s autopsies.
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The family also asked for a list of all organs that have been removed or retained from inmates who died in the Alabama prison system since 2013, a document that the defendants have allegedly conceded exists.
“This document is critical to fulfill the third measure sought in the motion for TRO: freezing the practice of improperly and potentially illegally retaining organs from autopsies without providing notice or seeking consent from the family members of the deceased,” the document reads.
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In September 2018, the family’s attorney contends, UAB students raised concerns about a “disproportionate amount of specimens obtained from individuals incarcerated at their time of death.” Any minutes from this meeting are also requested.
Dotson’s family members did not comment at press time in fear of jeopardizing the ongoing legal process, and Faraino was unavailable for comment.
An attorney representing the University of Alabama at Birmingham declined to comment on the case.
The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP has announced its official schedule for the 2026 NAACP-sponsored Selma Jubilee Bridge Crossing Weekend, set for March 6–8 in Montgomery and Selma.
Held under the theme “A Time for Standing,” the annual commemoration honors the Foot Soldiers of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches and recognizes the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis and Rev. Jesse Jackson for their roles in advancing civil rights and voting access.
The three-day event will bring together national, state and local leaders, along with youth and college chapters, faith partners and community members for activities focused on reflection, education and civic engagement.
Scheduled events include a civic discussion titled “The New Civic Path” on March 6 at the Montgomery Interpretive Center at Alabama State University, followed by a Jubilee Gala that evening at Embassy Suites in Montgomery. On March 7, the Birmingham Metro Branch will host a bus trip to Selma, while a statewide civic engagement training will take place in Montgomery.
SEE ALSO: Bridge Crossing Jubilee to honor Rev. Jesse Jackson’s legacy in Selma
SEE ALSO: 16th Street Baptist Church: Keeping a Legacy Alive 63 Years Later
On March 8, participants will take part in the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Parade, voter activation efforts, worship services at Brown Chapel AME Church and Tabernacle Baptist Church, and the traditional bridge crossing at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Organizers say the weekend will emphasize continued civic participation and community engagement across Alabama.
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March 6 — Alabama NAACP Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Gala 5:30PM Embassy Suites by Hilton, 300 Tallapoosa St, Montgomery, AL 36104
March 7 — NAACP Birmingham Metro Branch Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Bus Trip 8AM–5PM Broad Street and Water Avenue in Selma Alabama
March 7 — Alabama State NAACP Statewide Civic Engagement Training 8–4:15PM Homewood Suites, 7800 EastChase Pkwy, Montgomery, AL 36117
March 8 — Alabama State NAACP in the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Parade 8AM–10AM Begins at 1722 Broad St and concludes at the National Voting Rights Museum
March 8 — Alabama NAACP Statewide Bridge Crossing Jubilee Bus Trip 8AM–5PM Alabama State University, Untenese and Mobile Branch and University of Alabama, Oakwood University, Broad Street and Water Avenue, Selma
March 8 — Alabama NAACP Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Participation in Worship Services 10AM–2PM Brown Chapel AME Church and Tabernacle Baptist Church, Selma
March 8 — Alabama NAACP Youth and College Civic Engagement Voter Activation 8AM–2PM Broad Street and Water Ave, Selma
March 8 — Alabama NAACP Statewide Bridge Crossing 11:15PM – Line up Alabama NAACP Tent on Waters Ave or at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma
Each player had a pivotal role on the Crimson Tide in 2025.
Alabama had a multitude of former players who performed at an elite level at the NFL combine this past weekend.
Former Alabama star quarterback Ty Simpson was among those who put his talents on full display in Indianapolis, as Simpson continues to emerge as a top quarterback prospect available in April’s draft.
Numerous Crimson Tide stars on both sides of the football were able to have an excellent showing at the combine as well, with each playmaker a vital component to the Tide’s success in 2025.
Here are three Alabama players who helped their draft stock rise at the NFL combine.
Ty Simpson, Quarterback
Simpson is widely regarded as the best quarterback prospect available outside of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. The talented redshirt junior put on an absolute show at the NFL combine, as Simpson delivered multiple perfect throws and put his talents on full display throughout Saturday’s events.
The former Alabama star is a candidate to potentially shine day one in his campaign in the NFL, as Simpson’s draft stock continues to rise prior to April.
Jam Miller, Running Back
Miller is an extremely fast and athletic running back, despite struggling in the Tide’s backfield last season. The star running back recorded an impressive 4.43u 40-yard dash time, as Miller could very easily shine in the NFL next season with consistent playing time.
Miller was nothing short of elite throughout his entire performance at the combine in Indianapolis, as the former Tide running back continues to rise in a multitude of draft rankings around the football world.
Kadyn Proctor, Offensive Tackle
Proctor played a crucial role on Alabama’s offensive line last season. The star lineman reportedly slimmed down prior to the NFL combine, as Proctor displayed elite speed and athleticism throughout Sunday’s combine in Indianapolis.
Proctor is widely expected to be a mid-to-late first round selection in April, as the talented lineman’s efforts during the combine could quickly begin to work in Proctor’s favor during next month’s draft.
The 2026 NFL draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania starting on April 23, as each Crimson Tide star will look to shine throughout their rookie campaign in the NFL.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
Alabama
Husband, 19, fatally shot wife, 24, himself at Alabama hospital moments after welcoming their first child
A husband fatally shot his wife before turning the gun on himself at an Alabama hospital just moments after they welcomed their first child on Sunday.
Kynath Terry Jr., 19, gunned down 24-year-old Precious Johnson before fatally shooting himself inside the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital around 9:30 p.m. Sunday night, WTVM 13 reported.
Johnson delivered a healthy baby just before she was murdered. It’s not immediately clear if the baby was present during the shooting, but police said that Terry and Johnson were the only ones injured.
Terry’s mother told the outlet that the couple were having some marital issues leading up to Johnson’s due date, but nothing that made her fear her son would become violent.
She told the outlet that Terry completed Army National Guard training before tying the knot with Johnson.
She noted that Johnson didn’t want Terry’s side of the family at the hospital for her child’s birth, but it’s unclear if anyone from the mother-to-be’s own family was there.
The hospital was plunged into a lockdown “out of an abundance of caution” while police investigated reports of a shooting. It wasn’t lifted until hours later when they determined there was “no active threat to patients, team members or the public,” the outlet reported.
The Homewood Police Department described the tragedy as “an apparent murder-suicide and is domestic in nature.”
Danne Howard, the president of the Alabama Hospital Association, told the outlet that the chilling attack “was an isolated incident” unlike anything she’d encountered during her three decades working in the state.
Howard said, in the wake of the tragedy, the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital would undergo a security overhaul implementing “lessons learned” from a mandated after-action report.
Just three months ago, in a town six miles outside of Homewood, a beloved sports reporter was fatally shot by her husband before taking his own life. Their 3-year-old son, who was unharmed, led his grandfather to his parents’ bodies.
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