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| Autopsy of inmate points to homicide |
| By The Tennessean |
| Published: 09/20/2004 |
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An autopsy of inmate Estelle Richardson reveals that she was slammed into an object, perhaps a wall, with such force that it fractured her skull, broke four ribs and damaged her liver while inside a Nashville, Tenn. prison operated by the privately run Corrections Corporation of America. These injuries could have occurred ''many hours'' or even days before Richardson died July 5, said Dr. Bruce Levy, Nashville's medical examiner. This finding opens up new possibilities about who may have harmed Richardson, 34 and a mother of two. Her death has been ruled a homicide. Four male officers, who were on duty the day before she was found ''unresponsive'' in her cell and who acknowledged having an altercation with her, have been placed on administrative leave by CCA, pending an investigation. One of those officers, William Wood, told The Tennessean that no excessive force was used to subdue Richardson on July 4 when she refused to clean her cell. The officers did use Mace, but Wood said Richardson appeared fine after the incident. No criminal charges have been filed, although the case is under investigation by the district attorney general's office. What the autopsy makes clear is that someone at the facility fatally injured Richardson. Levy said her injuries could not have been either accidental or self-inflicted. What is also clear is that Richardson had been removed from the general inmate population and placed in a segregated ''special needs'' cell. Near her death she was placed in a cell by herself. A $60 million lawsuit has been filed in the case claiming Richardson suffered a violent death from a beating caused by the officers. Attorney Bart Durham, who is representing Estelle's two children, 14 and 6, in the lawsuit, said the lawsuit's language probably would be modified to reflect the autopsy findings. Levy said Richardson's injuries were undoubtedly the result of a violent homicide. |
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