#MoEmpathy
What will it take to get widespread attention, staff accountability, necessary investigations, department oversight, and humane treatment within the facilities of the Missouri Department of Corrections (MoDOC)?
The citizens of Missouri deserve better public safety, and that includes a carceral system that actually aides in the rehabilitation of incarcerated people; where individuals exit the prison system better than when they entered, where humane conditions are not considered luxury but are afforded because human beings should be treated humanely, and where oversight, accountability, and adherence to departmental policies are the norm.
On Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024, legislators, the public and media are invited to join MoJustice in the 1st Floor Rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. to remember and mourn the passing of:
2023
126 Deaths
(as of 12/8/23)
2022
134 Deaths
2021
102 Deaths
“We will memorialize those who have lost their lives and demand the elected officials of the Missouri Legislature to do their statutory duty of investigating this rogue state agency, ensure policies and procedures are adhered to, and hold the department accountable for the inhumane conditions and egregious treatment of those in its custody,”
Recent In-Custody Deaths of the Missouri Department of Corrections:
○ 12/26/23: Mr. Demon Culpepper
of St. Louis died of an unverified cause in the South Central Correctional Center (SCCC) in Licking. While experiencing a medical emergency, Mr. Culpepper’s cellmate frantically pressed the emergency button inside of the cell to no avail. Help did not arrive to save Mr. Culpepper, 27, and his lifeless body was carried out by guards at the beginning of the following shift. It is unknown if he committed suicide or overdosed on illegal substances. (This death has not been publicly reported)
○ 12/15/23: Mr. Michael Hudson
of Kansas City was stabbed to death and killed by other incarcerated individuals also at SCCC in Licking during a racially motivated attack. He had been in protective custody after being assaulted several times in the recent past, yet the guard’s allowed members of a racist gang to attack and stab Mr. Hudson, 30, to death. (This death is not known to be under investigation)
○ 12/8/23: Mr. Othel Moore Jr
of St. Louis suffered a torturous and
excruciating death inside of the Jefferson City Correctional Facility, he was pepper sprayed, had a hood placed over his head, and was confined to a mobilization cart for reasons that have not been disclosed by MDOC. Mr. Moore, 38, was then left unattended for several hours, pleading with MoDOC staff that he couldn’t breathe, and suffocated. Hours later, a nurse announced to the staff that Mr. Moore was unresponsive. (This death is under investigation)
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MoJustice’s mission is to educate, empower, and unite community members, transforming them into a powerful advocacy base. Through collaborative efforts, MoJustice strives to drive meaningful reforms within the Missouri prison system, addressing systemic injustices, inhumane conditions, and the absence of accountability.