In December 2023, Othel Moore Jr., an inmate at the Missouri Department of Correction’s Jefferson City Correctional Center (MoDoC) — in his 18th year of a 30-year sentence — died at the hands our criminal justice system.
Days later, as details of the deadly encounter were brought to light, Moore’s family came to Larry and the team at Disparti Law Group. Things were not adding up. Larry assembled one of the finest teams of civil rights attorneys to investigate including Andrew Stroth, Steven Hart and Ben Stelter-Embry.
These expert attorneys immediately launched an investigation to uncover the truth and what they discovered is appalling.
Moore was the 117th person to die in custody — a number that would grow to 134 by the end of 2023. The circumstances of his death were also startling.
During a questionable search, a team of correctional officers wrongfully subdued a compliant Moore, pepper-sprayed him in the face, applied a spit mask and helmet, restrained him, shackled him, ignored his pleas for help, and watched him die alone in an isolation room.
As these details became known, five officers were arrested for their roles in his death. Ten staff members of the MoDoC and their consulting firms were relieved of their duties. Four of the former Missouri guards have pleaded not guilty to murder, and a fifth has pleaded not guilty to accessory to involuntary manslaughter.
On October 29th, 2024, Moore’s legal team made public the sobering video of his death which revealed a complete disregard for the life of a Black man in prison. First, both officers and supervisors can be seen walking right past him as he pleads for his life. They can later be seen ignoring his motionless, lifeless body for 30 minutes before anyone chose to make sure he was okay.
“It was a blatant disregard for the sanctity of life,” remarked Larry Disparti. “Our Constitution outlines freedoms including that no one should be subject to a cruel and unusual punishment, similar to what Othel endured.”
As attorneys and as humans, the team at Disparti Law Group are ashamed of how Othel was treated in his final moments. No one deserves this kind of punishment. We will continue to stand on the side of justice and fairness and will not stand down until justice is served for Othel and his family.
If someone you know is serving time in a prison system, and they are enduring unfair and unjust treatment and abuse, the team at Disparti Law can help you. Call us at (312) 600-6000 and ask to speak with one of our attorneys.
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