Inmates with St. Clair ties die due to COVID

Published 9:00 am Thursday, August 20, 2020

Two inmates both with connections to St. Clair County have died due to COVID-19.

James Dunner, a 76-year-old inmate at St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville died on Aug. 10.

According to a press release, Dunner, who was housed in St. Clair’s infirmary due to multiple chronic and underlying health conditions, was tested for COVID-19 on July 30 and returned a positive test result on Aug. 2. He remained under the care of St. Clair’s infirmary staff until his death.

William Edward King, a 65-year-old inmate died at Kilby Correction Facility in Montgomery on Aug. 11.

King, who was housed in Kilby’s infirmary due to advanced and end-stage preexisting medical conditions, was tested and subsequently returned a positive result for COVID-19 on June 1 upon admission to a local hospital for additional treatment. King’s condition improved, and he was released from the local hospital. However, upon his condition worsening, he was readmitted to the hospital for critical care on July 26. On Aug. 11, King was discharged from the hospital to hospice care within Kilby’s infirmary, where he died later that day.

Dunner was serving a life sentence for first-degree sodomy.

King was serving consecutive life-sentences for offenses including rape, kidnapping (out of St. Clair County), and burglary.

Since the first case was reported in Alabama’s prison system, COVID has accounted for 18 inmate deaths with 9 of those deaths being reported from St. Clair Correctional Facility.