Family members of incarcerated individuals in Alabama gathered at the state Capitol in Montgomery on June 5, 2024, to demand answers and raise awareness about the dire conditions and ongoing violence within the state’s prison system. The rally came in the wake of a recent death that has spotlighted the deep-rooted issues plaguing Alabama’s correctional facilities, issues underscored by a new documentary airing on HBO that exposes the harsh realities inside these prisons through footage smuggled out by inmates on cellphones.
One of the most heart-wrenching stories shared at the rally was that of Chase Mathis, a 31-year-old inmate who died on June 4, 2024, just hours after being transferred to a neighboring prison. According to his father, Tim Mathis, Chase had informed prison guards that he was being threatened by other inmates and feared for his life. Despite this, he was placed into the general population rather than into protective custody. Tim Mathis believes his son’s death was not an accidental overdose as officially reported but rather the result of a “hot shot” — a lethal dose of drugs forcibly administered to him. Chase was serving a 15-year manslaughter sentence related to a fatal car accident that occurred while he was driving under the influence.
Tim Mathis spoke passionately at the rally, condemning the prison system for what he describes as its “deliberate indifference” toward the safety and well-being of inmates. “Behind those walls people are dying every day, not just from violence and neglect but from the deliberate indifference of the system that treats them like trash,” he said. His grief and demand for accountability resonated with many others who have lost loved ones under suspicious or violent circumstances in Alabama’s prisons.
The rally drew a large crowd of family members who carried photographs of their deceased loved ones as well as images of state officials labeled with the words “Blood On Your Hands.” These families recounted harrowing stories of assaults, sexual violence, extortion, drug overdoses, and deaths that have become tragically common behind prison walls. Many expressed deep frustration with what they see as the state’s failure to make meaningful improvements despite repeated warnings and public outcry.
Rodreshia Russaw, executive director of The Ordinary People Society — a nonprofit organization that supports formerly incarcerated individuals — emphasized that the tragedies shared publicly represent only the “surface” of a much larger crisis. “We have lost a lot of lives. There is a lot of blood that has been shed,” Russaw said, underlining the urgent need for systemic reform.
The problems in Alabama’s prison system are well-documented and longstanding. The system has been criticized for its high violence rates, chronic understaffing, extremely low parole rates, and controversial use of pandemic relief funds to construct a massive new prison facility. According to data presented by Eddie Burkhalter, a researcher with Alabama Appleseed, a nonprofit law and justice center, the state’s prisons recorded 277 deaths in 2023 alone, including at least 12 homicides. Burkhalter noted that Alabama’s prison mortality rate was five times higher than the national average for state prisons, a staggering figure that highlights the severity of the crisis.
During a meeting of the Legislative Prison Committee held on the same day as the rally, Corrections Commissioner John Hamm addressed lawmakers about ongoing efforts to improve conditions. Hamm reported that construction on a new 4,000-bed “mega-prison” is approximately 75% complete and stressed that increasing correctional officer staffing levels is critical to creating safer environments for both inmates and staff. “Everything hinges around correction officer staffing,” Hamm said.
However, Hamm also warned that the prison population is growing. The number of state inmates increased from 20,904 in 2023 to 21,803 by the summer of 2024, and he indicated that the upward trend is expected to continue. This rising population further complicates efforts to address overcrowding and safety concerns.
The state’s prison system has drawn federal scrutiny as well. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Alabama, alleging that the conditions in its prisons violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The Justice Department characterized the Alabama prison system as one of the most understaffed and violent in the country, underscoring the urgency of the crisis.
Following the legislative meeting, Representative Chris England voiced blunt criticism of the prison system, describing it as “