A recent documentary has sparked a petition calling for a federal investigation into the death of Steven Davis at the hands of correctional officers inside an Alabama prison.
The Alabama Solution, a documentary released Friday by HBO, revealed life inside Alabama’s prisons and followed the story of Davis’ death in 2021.
Numerous incarcerated men tell Alabama civil rights attorney Hank Sherrod during the filming that Davis complied with orders from correctional officers, lying on the ground and throwing his weapon 10-15 feet away.
That conflicts with the official narrative of the Alabama Department of Corrections, which has claimed Davis would not drop his weapons and that the officers were justified in using lethal force.
The state settled a lawsuit by Davis’ family over his death.
The film and the petition identify Roderick Gadson as the officer that killed Davis—incarcerated men describe Gadson beating Davis in the head with a baton and “picking him up and throwing him down.”
Steven Davis
“On October 4, 2019, Steven Davis was assaulted by multiple officers. Officer Gadson used deadly force—beating Steven with a baton, stomping on his head with such force that it bounced off the concrete, and slamming him to the ground. Every bone in Steven’s face was broken,” the petition states. “He was taken off life support the next day. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head.
“Despite this, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office declined to prosecute, and the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) deemed the use of force ‘justified.’”
The petition calls for a federal investigation into Davis’ killing, and the termination of Gadson with a permanent ban against him working with ADOC in the future.
“Steven Davis is not the only person who suffered abuse at the hands of Officer Gadson,” the petition states. “Multiple lawsuits have been filed against him. Shockingly, shortly after Steven’s death, Gadson was promoted twice and now holds the rank of Lieutenant at St. Clair Correctional Facility. This is not only a moral failure, but also a public outrage.”
At a more broad level, the petition calls for independent oversight of ADOC and its internal investigations, and comprehensive reform of use-of-force policies in Alabama prisons.
“Steven’s murder has become a symbol of systemic abuse and the lack of accountability in Alabama’s prison system,” the petition concludes. “We demand action now.”
The petition can be signed here.
The Alabama Solution is now streaming on HBO Max.
