From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
JEFFERSON COUNTY — The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office released preliminary information about an autopsy performed on an inmate that died in jail on Friday, June 28, 2019.
“The preliminary autopsy report shows no signs of foul play in Smith’s death,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “A ruptured plastic bag containing an unknown substance (believed to be illicit drugs) was found in Smith’s stomach during the examination. There is a high probability that the contents of the bag were absorbed into Smith’s system. The other preliminary findings were consistent with seizure deaths and drug toxicity.”
Earnest True Smith, 36, of Birmingham, was in jail on a charge of failure to appear.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Smith suffered a seizure while in custody. He was transported to the hospital for treatment around 8:10 p.m. Efforts to save his life were unsuccessful.
The official cause and manner of death have not been determined.