The family of Brandon Clay Dotson (the man seen at left) says his body was returned to them without his heart. The family of Charles Edward Singleton said he was missing all of his organs. (Family photos provided by attorney)
Following a complaint that a dead Alabama inmate was missing his heart, a newly released court documents makes a similar allegation in which a dead man was missing organs including his brain.
The first allegation came from the family of Brandon Clay Dotson, 43. Serving a 99-year burglary sentence, he died in custody, and his relatives said that they received his body “severely decomposed” because authorities failed to properly store it. They hired a pathologist to perform a second autopsy and this doctor discovered that Dotson’s body was missing the heart. They sued in federal court last month.
Now, the daughter of inmate Charles Edward Singleton, 74, is stepping forward with similar allegations, according to multiple reports.
Documents state that after Singleton died in the custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections on Nov. 2, 2021, the family received his body already in a “noticeable state of decomposition,” and they learned his remains had no organs anymore, according to Birmingham ABC affiliate WBMA-LD.
Even the brain was allegedly missing.
The family was told that after the autopsy, organs are usually put in a bag and returned to the body, according to the reported documents.
In their complaint, Dotson’s family said that no one explained why Dotson’s heart was missing.
“Other families have come forward, as well,” Dotson family attorney, Lauren Faraino, told Law&Crime on Thursday.
Law&Crime reached out to the Alabama Department of Corrections for comment on Dotson’s death and that lawsuit.
“The ADOC does not conduct its own autopsies and we do not comment on matters pending litigation,” ADOC said in response.
When Law&Crime reached out to them on Thursday about Singleton’s case, they said again that they did not comment on pending litigation and do not “authorize or perform autopsies.”
The University of Alabama’s Department of Pathology performed the autopsy on Singleton, the associated documents reportedly said. The organization told WBMA-LD that they do not comment on pending litigation, but they described their autopsy policy.
From their reported statement:
We only conduct autopsies with consent or authorization and follow standard procedures equitably for anyone consented to or authorized for an autopsy. The autopsy practice is accredited by the College of American Pathologists and staffed by credentialed physicians who are certified by the American Board of Pathology.
In an autopsy, organs and tissues are removed to best determine the cause of death. Autopsy consent includes consent for final disposition of the organs and tissues; unless specifically requested, organs are not returned to the body.
UAB is among providers that — consistent with Alabama law — conduct autopsies of incarcerated persons at the direction of the State of Alabama. A panel of medical ethicists reviewed and endorsed our protocols regarding autopsies conducted for incarcerated persons.
Sued in the Dotson lawsuit, they previously said they had no part in that autopsy and were making the plaintiff’s attorney aware.
“There was an evidentiary hearing in the Dotson case last week,” the Alabama Department of Corrections told Law&Crime on Thursday. “The ADOC is currently awaiting the court’s decision following that presentation of evidence.”
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