A second Walker County Jail corrections officer, Karen Kim Elsie Kelly, has agreed to plead guilty in connection with the 2023 death of Anthony “Tony” Mitchell. Kelly is facing federal charges for deprivation of rights under the color of law for her role in the inhumane conditions in which Mitchell was kept. Earlier this month, another officer, Joshua “Conner Jones, also signed plea agreements related to Mitchell’s death and another 2022 case involving an inmate assault. The Walker County Sheriff, Nick Smith, stated that these developments are a step forward in the investigation to uncover the truth about Mitchell’s death.
Mitchell died in January 2023, two weeks after being arrested for shooting at deputies. The county coroner listed his death as a homicide due to hypothermia and sepsis from infected injuries and medical neglect. Lawsuits filed by Mitchell’s family claim that he was tased, locked in a freezer, and neglected by jail staff. Documents reveal that Mitchell was kept in inhumane conditions in a booking cell without basic human needs and medical attention. Kelly, who worked night shifts during Mitchell’s detention, failed to intervene in improving Mitchell’s conditions despite being aware of the harmful environment. She believed he was on suicide watch due to orders from the jail’s command staff but failed to take action to protect him.
The plea agreement states that Kelly did not express her concerns to anyone other than her supervisor and failed to advocate for Mitchell’s well-being. The investigation is ongoing, and Kelly’s guilty plea sheds light on the troubling conditions in the Walker County Jail. Kelly’s attorney expressed her hope that this tragedy leads to new policies and procedures to protect inmates in the future.
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