DECEMBER 19, 2023 – Today, civil rights attorneys Larry Disparti, Andrew M. Stroth, and members of his legal team stood with family members at a press conference regarding the death of Othel Moore, Jr. on December 8th at the Jefferson City Correctional Center.
Oriel Moore, sister of Othel, stepped to the microphone and described her loving brother and how he always took care of her and their family. Behind her sat her mother in a wheelchair sobbing as Othel carried on. “I feel a void. I feel a big void in our lives,” she said after hearing that her brother had died in custody. She only got an answer after calling the prison more than ten times. When she finally spoke to Assistant Warden Reyna Martin, she was told her brother was deceased that she didn’t know what happened, and then was callously hung up on.
“What we know is that the Jefferson County Correctional Center (JCC) is a dangerous place, and a particularly dangerous place for black men,” exclaimed Stroth, one of the attorneys for Moore’s family.
Attorneys, investigators, and family members lined up in the rotunda of the State Capitol Building to demand answers. The legal team is demanding release of the video, the use-of-force policies, the identities of CERT team members and all information about the events that transpired on December 8, 2023.
Attorney Larry Disparti of Disparti Law Group talked about a phone call he received from the family. “She (Oriel) told me a story that was utterly heartbreaking. She talked about her brother who was housed at the MDOC, and it broke my heart… I knew I had to do something to help this family.” At that point Disparti assembled a team of nationally-recognized attorneys and forensic investigators to get justice for the Moores.
This year, Othel Moore is the 117th person to die in the custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections. Something is not right. And the Moore’s legal team is determined to find answers, and justice.
If anyone has additional information about this case or other deaths while in custody, they are encouraged to call (800) 633-4091.
