Mary Barksdale’s Open Records Act suit against the state Department of Corrections is set for trial August 11, according to Sarah Geraghty, an attorney for Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta.
Barksdale, mother of the late Farron Barksdale, who died after being incarcerated at Kilby Correctional Facility a year ago, is seeking access to her son’s prison records, which DOC officials contend do not fall under the Open Records Act.
Farron Barksdale died in a Montgomery hospital at the age of 32 on Aug. 20, 2007, 11 days after he was found comatose in his cell at the Montgomery prison. He had been transferred to Kilby from Limestone County Jail on Aug. 8, three days before he was discovered in his cell. He had pleaded guilty in July 2007 to the 2004 shooting deaths of two Athens Police officers.
An autopsy concluded Farron Barksdale died of pneumonia complicated by heat stroke and that drug therapy likely contributed to the hyperthermia.
Barksdale is being represented by Huntsville attorney Jake Watson.
“As far as we know right now, the trial will be held as scheduled,” said Watson Friday. “They (attorneys for the DOC) have filed a motion for a continuance, but the judge has not answered it.”
Since filing the open records suit, Mary Barksdale, filed suit in early June in U.S. District Court in Montgomery against employees of the DOC and two prison doctors. Barksdale claims a doctor administered medication known to cause heat intolerance while her son was being housed in an isolation cell in 100-plus-degree heat with no air-conditioning.
Named as defendants in the suit are former Kilby warden Arnold Holt, Kilby physicians Dr. Michael Robbins and Dr. Joseph McGinn, two correctional facility officers who are not identified by name, and two prison medical and mental health services personnel who are not identified by name. Four of the defendants could not be named because attorneys have not had access to prison records, a SCHR spokeswoman explained.
Local News
Trial in Barksdale suit set Aug. 11
Efforts to gain access to prison records
- Local News
-
-
Alabama lawmakers return for 2012 regular session
Alabama legislators return to Montgomery for the 2012 regular session facing a full agenda that will include giving Alabama's toughest in the nation immigration law a tune up and balancing the budgets in what promises to be a difficult budget year.
-
Alabama legislators to get gloomy budget forecasts
Legislators arriving in Montgomery for the start of the 2012 legislative session will get hit with bad news.
-
Albertville school wins national recycling competition
Students at a north Alabama school are champions of a national recycling competition.
-
Thach Road house fire investigated
Limestone officials have asked the deputy state fire marshal to determine what caused a fire that destroyed about half of a home on Thach Road Saturday night in northeastern Limestone County.
-
School board to vote on land for Ardmore gym
Limestone County school board members are expected to vote tonight on whether to buy additional land near Ardmore High School to build a better gymnasium.
-
County, city OK Carpenter incentives
The Limestone County Commission and Athens City Council approved a host of incentives Monday for Pennsylvania steel company Carpenter Technology Corporation, which plans to construct a facility off U.S. 31 just north of Calhoun Community College.
-
MORE STORIES: Click LOCAL NEWS bar at top left
Click "Local News" bar at top left for more stories
-
BREAKING: County, city approve incentives for steel plant
The commission agreed to a sales tax abatement in the amount of $8.162 million through July 2014 and a property tax abatement of more than $13.9 million over 10 years.
- Relay for Life team hosts fishing tourney to help fight cancer
-
State children's choir to perform in Athens
The choir will appear at First Baptist Church in Athens at 10:30 a.m. March 4 during morning worship services.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Alabama lawmakers return for 2012 regular session
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Murder Trial for Ex-U.Va. Lacrosse Player Begins
NY Giants Touch Down Victorious
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
US, UK Pressure on Syria; More Homs Violence
Raw Video: Mass Killer Wants Medal, Freedom
Few Answers in Death of Sons of Missing Utah Mom
Court Strips Contador of Tour De France Title
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Raw Video: Deadly Helicopter Crash in Australia
Raw Video: Smoke, Purported Gunfire in Syria
Romney Latest Poll to Join Let-me-explain Club
Blast Kills Husband of Missing Utah Mom, 2 Boys
Obama: US, Israel Will Work Against Iran Nukes
NJ Museum Finds 19th Century Recording
Snow Causes Disruptions in Much of Europe
Clinton: Vetoed U.N. Syria Resolution 'travesty'
Romney Picks Up Decisive Win in Nevada Caucuses
