MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The FBI is investigating the death of a black man in Alabama, who was found hanging in an abandoned home, following a request from a local sheriff amid fears among community members who accuse local authorities of misconduct. uncontrolled for a long time.

Sheriff’s deputies found Dennoriss Richardson, 39, in September in a rural area 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’s not true, explaining that her husband left no note and had no connection to the home where he was found.

Instead, the 40-year-old fears her husband’s death is related to a lawsuit she filed against the local police department in February. Dennoriss Richardson, who coached children in baseball and soccer, alleged that he was assaulted, denied medical care, sprayed with tear gas, and shocked with a Taser while in jail.

Leigh Richardson said she is not accusing a specific person, but she is convinced her husband did not commit suicide.

She is not alone in her belief. The widespread skepticism over Richardson’s death underscores a deep-seated distrust of local authorities in Colbert County. In a region where hanging invokes a long history of state-sanctioned lynchings of Black people, county residents allege a pattern of excessive force among local law enforcement.

Sheriff Eric Balentine, who confirmed that the FBI accepted his request to investigate, said his department “exhausted every resource” in its investigation.

“We are confident in our findings, but we believe that by doing so we can give the family more peace of mind,” Balentine said.

A spokesperson for the FBI’s Birmingham office confirmed that the FBI is aware of the death of Dennoriss Richardson and is reviewing allegations of criminal misconduct.

Tori Bailey, president of the local NAACP chapter and the only Black member of Colbert County’s six-person county commission, said the community’s reaction to Richardson’s death was due in part to the heartbreaking story of lynchings in the region.

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

Bailey said that while there may be nothing to these allegations, it makes sense that the community would have a “visceral” reaction to a black man being hanged and want a more thorough investigation. She said that while some officers try to do the right thing, in her 12 years as president of the NAACP she has documented and investigated many cases of excessive force in the county.

“For a long time there has been something of a disconnect between communities of color and law enforcement. Unfortunately, many of us don’t feel like law enforcement is really there to serve and protect,” Bailey said.

Marvin Long, a 57-year-old black man and lifelong Colbert County resident, knew Dennoriss Richardson’s family well as a child. He shares skepticism about the suicide ruling and said Richardson’s death has intensified his fear of retaliation.

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

Long sued the Sheffield Police Department last year. After asking about an unrelated arrest that took place outside his property in 2021, body camera footage appears to show officers following Long to his home, dragging him down the porch stairs and pointing the police K9 at him. while screaming for help. Long was unarmed, according to the complaint.

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 captured on surveillance footage punching and pointing a gun at a black man in a liquor store. The officer was later found guilty of assault and reckless and threatening endangerment. He was fired from the department.

In a separate lawsuit, a 57-year-old chiropractor claims he was shocked 18 times by a Taser while handcuffed after asking an officer to help him find his wife’s iPhone. Photos included in the lawsuit show several large burn marks allegedly from the assault.

The Sheffield Police Department did not respond to numerous phone calls and emails seeking comment. Attorneys for officers 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 thought Colbert County residents generally trusted authorities.

“If it is proven that it was excessive, then I am sure there will be liability,” he said.

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

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

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

“I was scared at that age,” Richardson said.

Richardson said that after filing the lawsuit, her husband was frequently detained by police. In those months, he was “trying to stay out of it,” he said.

Sheffield mayor Steve Stanley said Dennoriss Richardson had come to his office at least once to express concern that they were being profiled. Stanley said he assured Richardson that any officers reported through official channels would be investigated.

The Sheffield Police Department would not confirm if and how often Richardson was stopped.

Court records show Dennoriss Richardson had a long history of run-ins with local authorities, but most charges in federal and state courts were unsuccessful.

Dennoriss Richardson pleaded guilty to drug possession in 2006 and was sentenced to five years in prison. In the more than 15 years since then, court records show Richardson was arrested at least six more times by the Sheffield Police Department, on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to robbery and assault.

None of those charges, except 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 trafficking methamphetamine. He had been detained in a house where drugs were allegedly found. Richardson was out on bail when he died.

Stanley said he strongly supports holding officers accountable for their misconduct, but emphasized his overwhelming trust in them.

“I’ve preached and I think most officers, at least, recognize that everyone deserves respect,” Stanley said.

Still, amid the looming investigation, uncertainty prevails in the community.

In early October, Richardson’s friends and family filled the pews of the small Trinity Memorial Funeral Home to commemorate his life. The songs and sermons were marked by calls for justice.

From the pulpit, Van Daniel, Richardson’s attorney, said Richardson “believed in transparency and accountability. “He opposed police misconduct.”

There was a constant chorus of “amens” from the crowd as Van Daniel spoke.

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

___

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the US National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988.