Ricky Lynn Patterson, a 61-year-old inmate who was serving an 87-month sentence for two counts of distribution of a controlled substance out of Talladega County at Staton Correctional Facility in Elmore, Alabama, passed away on July 15.

Inmate Patterson, who was housed in Staton’s infirmary due to multiple advanced and chronic medical conditions, was tested for COVID-19 on June 11 after exposure to another inmate housed in the infirmary who tested positive for the disease. Upon returning a negative test result for COVID-19, Patterson remained under level-two quarantine as a precautionary measure until his June 26 transfer to a local hospital for a scheduled procedure.

Per hospital protocol, he was retested for COVID-19 at the hospital on June 29 and subsequently returned a positive test result. Patterson was discharged from the hospital on July 8, but was transferred back on July 9 due to complications from the procedure performed while he was hospitalized. He remained under the care of the hospital until his passing.

Wilson Roosevelt Conner, a 47-year-old inmate who was serving a life without the possibility of parole sentence for murder out of Marengo County at St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville, passed away on July 17.

Conner, who suffered from multiple underlying conditions including end-stage renal disease, was tested for COVID-19 on July 13 and subsequently transferred to a local hospital for additional care. Conner returned a positive test result for COVID-19 on July 15. He remained under the care of the local hospital until his passing.

As of July 17, two more St. Clair County inmates tested positive along with a staff member.

160 total cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed among our inmate population, 107 of which remain active.