Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

I never thought I would be receiving a call from the Angola Prison in Tunica LA. stating that my brother, Anthony Cornell Williams, had died at the young age of 53. Anthony was a healthy young man only having severe asthma. The call came through to me on October 24, 2019 at 6:30pm by a Chaplain at the prison who had just gotten off work but got the call in transit while leaving work. She stated to me: "They believe he had a heart attack and was transported to the local hospital which is a few minutes away after being given CPR. Well, this cannot be true because the nearest hospital is in New Orleans, which is about 2 hours away. The Chaplain informed to just let him rest because "Those men go through a lot down there". The next day 10/25/2019, I called the local hospitals in Baton Rouge and New Orleans but no one knew of him. Finally, I got a call from an Investigator from the East Baton Rouge Coroner's office who explained that Anthony would be at the office for the weekend for an autopsy. I never consented to an autopsy and for what? Next another Chaplain called to say his body was still at the treatment center at Angola. This posed a lot of questions for me, as well as, my family. My family finally contacted Smith Funeral Home and they were paid to get the body from the Coroner's office in Baton Rouge on Monday October 28, 2019. I then called back to the Coroner's office to make sure the body was ready, but it wasn't. The doctor there was just getting to do the autopsy on Monday morning. The next day October 29, 2019 we had a family visitation to see the body of Anthony and it was discovered that all of his cavities were left open, his head had been cut open from the back, and he was not really suitable for viewing. I called back to the Coroner's office in Baton Rouge to see why they would send him home in this condition. No answer... On October 30, 2019 around 8:45 am I got a call from the Warden over the hospital at Angola who stated that Anthony had died from an opioid substance laced with Fentanyl. This posed more questions. Anthony has been in lock down for several years now. He was not allowed to leave his cell. So, how did he get this substance? There is also another question: Why was his body discovered at the end of a shift at 6:12pm. Did any of the guards make rounds that day or where any of the other inmates assigned as tier walkers on the day of his passing. My family and I are in search for answers because things do not add up. Anthony was born on May 13, 1966 to Linda Marshall and Cornell Williams. He was later nurtured by the late Laverne Williams. He attended the Greater New Hope Baptist Church here in Monroe as a child. He leaves to mourn two sisters, one brother, several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. It was told to the family we would get the autopsy report within 12-14 weeks; even though an opioid overdose was already given by the prison as cause of death. My family wants answers. We also want to make others aware of the brutal treatment that goes on at Angola State Penitentiary. We further wish to let others know that they must support, visit and keep in contact with any family members who are housed at this facility. We wonder why there are still dangerous substances on the campus of this facility and why is nothing being down about it. This prison operates on state and federal funds.

Photo Anthony Cornell Williams