The local sheriff asks the FBI to investigate the death of a hanging black man in Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – The FBI is investigating the death of a Black man in Alabama who was found hanging in an abandoned home after a local sheriff made a request amid fears among community members who have long accused local law enforcement of unchecked misconduct.

Sheriff's deputies found Dennoriss Richardson, 39, in September in a rural part of Colbert County, miles from his home in Sheffield, a city of about 10,000 people near the Tennessee River.

The Colbert County Sheriff's Office ruled Richardson's death a suicide. But Richardson's wife, Leigh Richardson, said that wasn't true, explaining that her husband left no message and had no connection to the house where he was found.

Instead, the 40-year-old fears that her husband's death is related to a lawsuit he filed against the local police department in February. Dennoriss Richardson, who coached children in baseball and football, had claimed he was attacked in prison, denied medical care, tear gassed and shocked with a Taser.

Leigh Richardson said she is not blaming any specific person but insists her husband did not kill himself.

She is not alone in her faith. The widespread skepticism over Richardson's death underscores the deep-rooted distrust of local law enforcement in Colbert County. In a region where hangings have a long history of state-sanctioned lynchings of black people, county residents allege excessive force has been used by local law enforcement.

Sheriff Eric Balentine, who confirmed that the FBI had accepted his investigative request, said his department had “exhausted all resources” in its investigation.

“We are confident in our findings, but we also feel like we can provide the family with greater peace of mind,” Balentine said.

A spokesman for the FBI's Birmingham field office confirmed that the FBI is aware of Dennoriss Richardson's death and is investigating allegations of criminal misconduct.

Tori Bailey, president of the local NAACP chapter and the only Black member of the six-member county commission in Colbert County, said the community's reaction to Richardson's death was shaped in part by the area's harrowing history of lynchings.

According to the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit criminal justice reform organization, there were 359 reported lynchings in Alabama between 1877 and 1943. There were 11 in Colbert County alone.

Bailey said that while there may be no truth to these allegations, it makes sense that the community would have a “visceral” reaction to the hanging of a black man and would want a more thorough investigation. She said while some officers tried to do the right thing, she documented and investigated many cases of excessive force in the county during her 12 years as NAACP president.

“There's been kind of a divide between communities of color and law enforcement for a long time. Unfortunately, many of us do not feel that law enforcement actually exists to serve and protect,” Bailey said.

Marvin Long, a 57-year-old Black man and lifelong resident of Colbert County, knew Dennoriss Richardson's family well growing up. He shares skepticism about the suicide verdict and said Richardson's death has heightened his fear of retaliation.

“To this day, I hate seeing a police car,” Long said. “I’m more scared now than ever before.”

Last year Long sued Sheffield Police. After inquiring about an unrelated 2021 arrest just outside his property, body camera footage appears to show officers following Long to his home, dragging him down the porch steps and alerting police to him as he screams for help. According to the complaint, Long was unarmed.

Richardson and Long are among five Black and Latino men represented by civil rights attorney Roderick Van Daniel who have filed lawsuits against the department in recent years.

“Citizens live in fear of retaliation,” Van Daniel said.

In one case, an off-duty Sheffield police officer was caught on surveillance footage punching and throwing a gun at a black man in a liquor store. The officer was later convicted of assault and menacing and reckless endangerment. He was fired from the department.

In a separate lawsuit, a 57-year-old chiropractor claims he was shocked with a Taser 18 times while handcuffed after he asked an officer to help him find his wife's iPhone. Photos attached to the lawsuit show several large burn marks allegedly caused by the attack.

Sheffield Police did not respond to numerous phone calls and emails seeking comment. Attorneys for the officials named in pending lawsuits did not respond to emails.

Balentine, sheriff since 2023, declined to comment on specific cases. But he said that based on his nearly 30 years as an officer in the area, he believes Colbert County residents generally trust law enforcement.

“If it turns out it was excessive, then I’m sure there will be accountability,” he said.

Still, Balentine said he hoped the FBI investigation would help address concerns.

“Transparency is always a good way to balance some constraints with the community,” he said.

Leigh Richardson had known her husband since he was 17. She remembers Dennoriss, affectionately known as “Na-Na,” as a warm father to her five children. But she also said that his fear of the police was not new.

“He was scared at that young age,” Richardson said.

Richardson said her husband was frequently stopped by police after the lawsuit was filed. During those months, he “tried to avoid him,” she said.

Sheffield Mayor Steve Stanley said Dennoriss Richardson had come to his office on at least one occasion to express concerns that he was being profiled. Stanley said he assured Richardson that any officers reported through official channels would be investigated.

Sheffield Police have not confirmed whether or how often police stopped Richardson.

Court records show Dennoriss Richardson has a long history of run-ins with local law enforcement, but most of the charges in federal and state courts have failed.

Dennoriss Richardson pleaded guilty to drug possession in 2006 and was sentenced to five years in prison. Court records show that in the more than 15 years since, Richardson has been arrested by Sheffield police at least six other times, on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to robbery and assault.

None of those charges, with the exception of a traffic violation for expired tags, resulted in a conviction, according to available court records.

The same week Richardson filed his lawsuit against the department, he was charged with meth trafficking. He was arrested at a house where drugs were allegedly found. Richardson was out of bail when he died.

Stanley said he strongly supports holding officers accountable for wrongdoing but stressed his overwhelming trust in them.

“I have preached and believe that at least the majority of officers recognize that everyone deserves respect,” Stanley said.

Despite the impending investigation, uncertainty remains in the community.

In early October, Richardson's friends and family filled the pews of the small Trinity Memorial Funeral Home to remember his life. The singing and sermons were interrupted by calls for justice.

From the pulpit, Van Daniel, Richardson's attorney, said Richardson “believes in transparency and accountability. He spoke out against police misconduct.”

As Van Daniel spoke, there was a constant “Amen” from the crowd.

“His family and the Sheffield community deserve answers,” he said. “We deserve answers.”

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EDITOR'S NOTE: This story includes a discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the U.S. National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling 988 or texting.

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Riddle is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.