You might get the opinion that the Department of Corrections really doesn't want to get to the bottom of Farron Barksdale's death.

The admitted killer of two Athens policemen became mysteriously ill three days after his Aug. 8 transfer from Limestone County Jail to the department's custody. He died in a Montgomery hospital Aug. 20.

The long-awaited autopsy report released this week said he died of pneumonia, extreme body heat, a blood-clotting problem and other contributing factors.

The DOC first raised the possibility of mistreatment because of bruises when he fell ill. The autopsy report wasn't much help in resolving the bruising question. At one place, it said his body had no significant injuries and on a later page said he had no sign of injuries.

"We quoted what was in the body of the report," Commissioner Richard Allen said. He said DOC did its best to explain the autopsy report.

Why didn't someone go to Dr. Kenneth Snell of the state Department of Forensic Sciences for an explanation of the discrepancy?

This case is troubling because no inmate, regardless of the crime, deserves mistreatment.

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