Tuscaloosa County Jail Inmate Dies From Injuries After Fight

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A fight between two inmates in the Tuscaloosa County Jail this morning left one man dead, investigators with the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit said Tuesday afternoon.

Captain Marty Sellers said Tuesday morning at approximately 9:40 a.m., investigators were sent to the jail in reference to an argument that escalated to a fight between the two men. The cause of the argument that led to the deadly altercation has not been released at this time.

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Jail staff was able to break up the fight, but not before the victim, 26-year-old Tuscaloosa resident Christopher Lee, suffered "major injuries."

Lee died at a hospital a few hours later.

The suspect was identified as Laquinton Richardson, 22, of Tuscaloosa, who was being held on misdemeanor charges at the time of the fight. He is now charged with manslaughter and saw his bond set at $30,000 for the felony charge.

The death marks the second of a Tuscaloosa County Jail inmate this year, after Patch reported in May that a 39-year-old man was found unresponsive in his cell and later pronounced dead. The inmate was pronounced dead at the scene and his identity was not released.

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