A pathologist who conducted a private autopsy as requested by the family of a Black man who was found hanging has pressed for a continued investigation after the death was ruled a suicide.
In September, Dennoriss Richardson, 39, was discovered hanging in an abandoned home in Colbert County, Alabama. While local law enforcement ruled the death a suicide, his family asked for a private autopsy, as reported by ABC News.
Dr. Adel Shaker, who signed the report, noted the absence of the hyoid bone, saying that without it, as well as photos of the crime scene and the rope Richardson was killed with, they were unable to determine if his death was a suicide or a homicide.
"The article/ligature rope used at the scene did not accompany the body for examination," Shaker wrote, according to AL.com. "The crime scene photographs should be made available and studied carefully. The absence of the hyoid bone makes it difficult to determine if it was homicide or suicide. A thorough and meticulous investigation should be carried out to rule out staged suicide."
Dr. Thomas Andrew, a forensic pathologist with more than 40 years of experience, told ABC News that it was standard practice in similar cases to remove a hyoid bone. However, he noted that while pathologists often look to the bone for cases of suicide by hanging, he told the outlet that a quarter of hangings will result in the bone breaking, and half of strangulations will do the same.
Colbert County Sheriff Eric contacted the FBI for help investigating the case, and confirmed that the bureau accepted the request, as reported by the Associated Press in November.
"Nothing's changed, the official FBI investigation is still ongoing," Balentine told AL.com Thursday. "My investigator received that official report on the 26th and he forwarded that information to the (FBI) agent in charge."
Prior to his death, Richardson filed a federal lawsuit in March 2024 against police in Sheffield, Alabama—his hometown—alleging that he was subjected to brutality while being held in the city jail. His family has stated that they do not believe he committed suicide.
"This whole investigation is suspicious," Roderick Van Daniel, the attorney that was representing Richardson in the lawsuit, told ABC News. "This family and community are tired of the evasive answers and lies being told to them."
Originally published by Latin Times.
