The Missouri Department of Corrections has dismissed four correctional officers in the aftermath of their investigation into the death of 38-year-old inmate Othel Moore in December.
Moore passed away on December 8th while being held at the Jefferson City Correctional Center. The Cole County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy, yet a final report and cause of death are still pending, according to Karen Pojmann, a spokesperson for the Department of Corrections, on Wednesday.
The Cole County Sheriff’s Office, alongside the Department of Corrections’ inquiry, is looking into Moore’s death. Specific details leading to the firings have not been disclosed.
Moore was serving a 30-year term for multiple charges, including second-degree domestic violence, first-degree robbery, armed criminal action, and possession of a controlled substance, and had been incarcerated for over 18 years.
Following Moore’s death, his family’s attorneys have sought details from the corrections authorities, requesting surveillance footage to understand the circumstances of his demise.
Civil rights lawyer Andrew Stroth expressed that, despite demands, they had not received any information regarding the incident from the Department of Corrections. There were allegations that Moore was subjected to pepper spray by officers and had expressed difficulties in breathing.
Moore, a St. Louis native, is survived by a daughter. The previous year saw 134 inmate deaths within the Missouri Department of Corrections.
(Othel Moore photo courtesy Jefferson City Correctional Center)
(Audio courtesy Anthony Morobith, Missourinet)
