They knew exactly what was printed on it: Name: Willie L Hollinghead
Date of death: 08/03/2018
Age at the last birthday: 36
Name of the facility: South Mississippi Correctional Institution. But, they still haven’t found one fact. Cause of death: Undetermined. Hollinghead was found unconscious by employees at Leakesville prison late that night. He was being held for a conviction for selling cocaine. According to an incident report, a medical technician declared Hollinghead dead within an hour. His family continues to call the Mississippi Department of Corrections to try to discover what caused Willie Hollinghead to die on the prison floor. Michele Nix Hollinghead (the wife of Johnny), said that they had spoken to the chaplain at the prison, talked to the warden there, and talked to (Greene County coroner) Ladd Puliam. “I’ve spoken to everyone, and there are no answers anywhere,” Michelle Liu Willie Hollinghead was among 16 Mississippi prisoners who died in Mississippi’s prison system last month. This led to intense public scrutiny. MDOC claimed that most of the deaths were due to illnesses or “natural” causes and that the death rate was not unusual compared to previous months. Family and civil rights advocates continue to ask questions. MDOT Commissioner Pelicia Hale released a statement one year ago stating that the state would ask the Federal Bureau of Investigations for assistance in investigating the Mississippi Department of Public Safety’s deaths. This promise of federal involvement and transparency was made in the immediate aftermath of the prison death spike. Now, one year later, families and advocates are still asking for answers. Mississippi Today repeatedly asked Hall for an interview. Grace Fisher, MDOC spokesperson, wrote in an email that she did not have any additional information about Commissioner Hall’s 2018 request to the FBI to investigate inmate deaths. “This administration is committed in ensuring that all Mississippi Department of Corrections residents receive the best medical care. Every death is investigated to determine if foul play was involved. The cases are referred to appropriate authorities if foul play is established. …” The FBI’s public affairs specialist Brett Carr responded to an interview request last month via email. He said: “As we stated back in August 2018, we were asked for assistance by Commissioner Hall. The FBI provided technical assistance and maintained the lead in the investigation. The state should be contacted regarding any findings. Cliff Johnson, of the MacArthur Justice Center, Mississippi, who has previously litigated prison conditions, stated that “I recommend that you contact them in regard to any findings regarding this investigation.” Michelle Liu Who even asks the questions? Michelle Liu. A log of in-custody death kept by the agency lists 14 as “natural” deaths. Willie Hollinghead, and Nija Bonhomme, who both died at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility just three weeks later are listed as homicides. According to Cecelia Bounds, Greene County Circuit Clerk, Willie Hollinghead died one year ago. Hollinghead’s family offers hypothetical scenarios to explain what happened during those final minutes, what Willie might have said, who touched him and how he fell on the ground. They said that his brothers Otties Brewer, Johnny Hollinghead, noticed blue marks on his neck, as well as a bruise on the forehead, after he was taken from Jackson’s mortuary. These marks are the foundation of the scenario that the Hollingheads created and have re-created many times over the past year. Nix Hollinghead speculated that “when they choked him they threw him down.” She figured that Willie’s bruise must have been visible after he fell to the ground. Fisher, spokesperson for MDOC, stated that the MDOC refers all homicide cases directly to the appropriate district attorneys’ offices. This leaves any discussion about defendants, charges, or other related issues to those prosecutors. The lack of transparency in the state’s prison system is not new to those who are familiar with it. Johnson stated that the problem with these types of deaths and the effort to find out what MDOC knows about them, is that MDOC simply defers or delays that inquiry and it becomes old history and disappears. “These aren’t powerful, prominent families that can keep those issues in front of people, and get answers from a government agency,” Johnson said. However, many relatives of the Mississippi prisoners who died in summer 2018 have spoken to lawyers. Carlos Moore, Grenada attorney, stated that he represents five families. Moore stated that he believes the deaths occurred due to negligence and indifference by the state. Moore’s client, Kent Rathmann whose daughter Nicole was taken from Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (August 23, 2018) to a hospital died, said that he and the rest Nicole’s families will pursue litigation to “expose what really happened so that it doesn’t happen again” Rita Korsen Nicole Rathmann (33) died days before her parole date. She had served six years in prison for a methamphetamine sale conviction and had actively worked toward her release. Her father stated that her death was due to an aneurysm from methamphetamine ingestion. Joel Bomgar Kent Rathmann mentioned rumors of neglect, including delayed or inadequate medical care and widespread complaints about illicit drug dealing in prison. Further investigation of these issues could shed light on his daughter’s death, he said. He said that the family is not motivated by the desire to seek financial restitution. He stated that he and his family are determined to “rattle the cage” of an indifferent and sprawling prison system. The agency reported that 77 people died in MDOC custody by the end 2018 mostly due to natural causes. Between 2013 and 2017, 65 people per year were killed in MDOC custody. Rep. Bill Kinkade (R-Byhalia), chairman of the House Corrections Committee said that he conducted a “cursory” study to compare the death rates at MDOC with those in a county with a similar population of 19,000 people. He found no “correlation” of any kind. Kinkade stated that his current focus is on the 4,000 prisoners who are released each year from the prison system. Kinkade said that he is not privy of any MDOC investigations into individual death. Kinkade stated that corrections are subject to a lot criticism and that he understands this. “I can handle it because I’m a big boy. We’re doing many good things. Or at least trying.” Public attention has drifted away to other issues in this system. Nicole Rathmann and Willie Hollinghead are left behind to try to understand their deaths. Michelle Liu The road to Bluff Springs Baptist Church Cemetery is a dirty, unpaved one that runs through farmland and even the home where Medders grew. Medders decorated Nicole’s grave in brightly colored rocks and placed a rosebush next to the tombstone. Nicole’s teenage son also visits her often. “Nicole’s death destroyed everybody,” Medders said. According to Willie’s siblings the loss of their youngest brother feels like a personal failure. Many of Willie’s family members gathered this summer to go through the box Michele Nix Hollinghead took from the prison agency. Nix Hollinghead stated that no one had opened the box since Willie’s death. She smoothed out folded papers and revealed graded worksheets from a correspondence class. Otties Brewer was Willie’s oldest son. He thumbed through a Bible in his pocket. Nix Hollinghead pulled out a bag of clothes, Willie’s prison whites. It was still sealed in a plastic bag. Brewer couldn’t understand the reason the corrections department released these garments. To him, the bag was evidence and should remain at the state crime lab. Johnny Hollinghead stated, “We have never opened it.” Johnny Hollinghead said, “We’ve never opened it.”