Inmate Death Ruled Drug Overdose

Whitaker

CORINTH, Miss. (WCBI) — An Alcorn County man whose death prompted major changes at the Alcorn County Regional prison died of a drug overdose.

William Danny Whitaker, 56, was found dead at his mother’s home in Corinth on Oct. 26 while he was out of the prison on a pass. He was serving time for robbery and aggravated assault.

A final coroner’s report says Whitaker had several drugs in his system at the time.

Alcorn County Sheriff Charles Rinehart granted Whitaker the pass to visit his sick mother because he didn’t think Whitaker was a public threat.

State corrections leaders removed state inmates from the facility for six weeks until Alcorn County signed a two-year deal with a management company to oversee prison operations.