Topline: A 23-year-old inmate’s medical crisis inside an Alabama jail allegedly turned into punishment, restraint and repeated Taser use before he died.
Published: July 17, 2026 7:00 am ET
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BLOUNT COUNTY, AL — Two former Blount County corrections officers are accused of punishing a gravely ill 23-year-old inmate with restraint and repeated Taser use instead of getting him urgent care before he died.
Arthur Paul Morse of Hayden was suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis while locked up in the Blount County Jail, and prosecutors say his condition grew worse over several days until he could no longer walk on his own, vomited dark fluid, and urinated on himself.
According to AL.com, former jail employees Joseph Evans, 26, and Liletzy Valdez-Carbajal, 19, were indicted in connection with Morse’s death after prosecutors said he was punished, restrained and tased during the medical emergency rather than properly treated.
Later court coverage from Alabama television outlets said prosecutors told a judge Morse had blood sugar readings in the 300s to 500s, with one reading reaching 800 by the time he arrived at a hospital. Prosecutors also alleged Morse was forced to mop the booking area, placed in a restraint chair and tased multiple times while he was too sick to stand, walk or eat normally.
There is some variation in how the charges have been described across reports. AL.com reported murder and first-degree assault counts, while later bond-hearing coverage described the case as felony murder and second-degree assault.
At bond hearings on July 15, a judge set bond at $75,000 each for Evans and Valdez-Carbajal and ordered that, if released, they cannot work in custodial roles, cannot leave Alabama, and must report to Pardons and Paroles. Prosecutors said the case centers on whether jail staff responded to an obvious medical emergency with force and punishment instead of care.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Two Former Alabama Jailers Charged After Sick Inmate Was Restrained and Tased Before His Death
A 23-year-old inmate’s medical crisis inside an Alabama jail allegedly turned into punishment, restraint and repeated Taser use before he died.
By Silvia Torres
Published: July 17, 2026 7:00 am ET
BLOUNT COUNTY, AL — Two former Blount County corrections officers are accused of punishing a gravely ill 23-year-old inmate with restraint and repeated Taser use instead of getting him urgent care before he died.
Arthur Paul Morse of Hayden was suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis while locked up in the Blount County Jail, and prosecutors say his condition grew worse over several days until he could no longer walk on his own, vomited dark fluid, and urinated on himself.
According to AL.com, former jail employees Joseph Evans, 26, and Liletzy Valdez-Carbajal, 19, were indicted in connection with Morse’s death after prosecutors said he was punished, restrained and tased during the medical emergency rather than properly treated.
Later court coverage from Alabama television outlets said prosecutors told a judge Morse had blood sugar readings in the 300s to 500s, with one reading reaching 800 by the time he arrived at a hospital. Prosecutors also alleged Morse was forced to mop the booking area, placed in a restraint chair and tased multiple times while he was too sick to stand, walk or eat normally.
There is some variation in how the charges have been described across reports. AL.com reported murder and first-degree assault counts, while later bond-hearing coverage described the case as felony murder and second-degree assault.
At bond hearings on July 15, a judge set bond at $75,000 each for Evans and Valdez-Carbajal and ordered that, if released, they cannot work in custodial roles, cannot leave Alabama, and must report to Pardons and Paroles. Prosecutors said the case centers on whether jail staff responded to an obvious medical emergency with force and punishment instead of care.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Two Former Alabama Jailers Charged After Sick Inmate Was Restrained and Tased Before His Death
A 23-year-old inmate’s medical crisis inside an Alabama jail allegedly turned into punishment, restraint and repeated Taser use before he died.
By Silvia Torres
Published: July 17, 2026 7:00 am ET
BLOUNT COUNTY, AL — Two former Blount County corrections officers are accused of punishing a gravely ill 23-year-old inmate with restraint and repeated Taser use instead of getting him urgent care before he died.
Arthur Paul Morse of Hayden was suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis while locked up in the Blount County Jail, and prosecutors say his condition grew worse over several days until he could no longer walk on his own, vomited dark fluid, and urinated on himself.
According to AL.com, former jail employees Joseph Evans, 26, and Liletzy Valdez-Carbajal, 19, were indicted in connection with Morse’s death after prosecutors said he was punished, restrained and tased during the medical emergency rather than properly treated.
Later court coverage from Alabama television outlets said prosecutors told a judge Morse had blood sugar readings in the 300s to 500s, with one reading reaching 800 by the time he arrived at a hospital. Prosecutors also alleged Morse was forced to mop the booking area, placed in a restraint chair and tased multiple times while he was too sick to stand, walk or eat normally.
There is some variation in how the charges have been described across reports. AL.com reported murder and first-degree assault counts, while later bond-hearing coverage described the case as felony murder and second-degree assault.
At bond hearings on July 15, a judge set bond at $75,000 each for Evans and Valdez-Carbajal and ordered that, if released, they cannot work in custodial roles, cannot leave Alabama, and must report to Pardons and Paroles. Prosecutors said the case centers on whether jail staff responded to an obvious medical emergency with force and punishment instead of care.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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