Female inmate found hanged in Lawrence County jail

Times Daily, AL
The Associated Press
03/19/06

A female prisoner was found hanged in a Lawrence County jail cell a little over an hour after being locked up on charges of resisting arrest and an alcohol-related offense.

Sheriff's officials describe the death of 30-year-old Sheila Mullin a suicide. But her sister, Christy Newman, told The Decatur Daily that she heard Mullin screaming over the jail phone about being hurt by officers.

Newman said her sister, who had three children, had never shown signs of being suicidal.

Sheriff Bryan Hill said the death occurred at 9:20 p.m. Friday. She was brought to the jail at 8 p.m. by Trinity police.

The sheriff said he had not heard any suggestion that Mullin's death was something other than a suicide. Hill said the Alabama Bureau of Investigation is investigating. An autopsy is planned.

Trinity police had charged her with resisting arrest and illegal possession of prohibited liquor. Trinity police said they would not provide the arrest report on Mullin until Monday.

A jailer found Mullin hanging from a bedsheet wrapped around her neck.