‘I Know That This Does Not Come From Hanging’: Brain Dead Prison Inmate’s Mother Seeks Answers on His Injuries

The mother of a former inmate at an Oklahoma transfer center is calling for answers after she was told that her son was left brain dead after a suicide attempt, but she thinks the real cause is much darker.

Michael Duncan had been serving time in the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City, a temporary housing facility for federal inmates after he robbed a bank several years ago. Recently, his mother LaDana Duncan-Johnson got a call from the prison that she never expected.

“I was notified that something happened to my son, that he was brain dead, and they wanted to remove him from life support, and I said absolutely not,” Duncan-Johnson told KFOR.

Duncan-Johnson said she was told that the injury was from a suicide attempt by hanging. By the time Duncan was given medical care, he had a traumatic brain injury associated with hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen to the brain, and was no longer able to walk, talk or be independent in any way.

The mother said that Duncan had served 12 years of his 17-year sentence, so to her, suicide does not make any sense. After asking around, Duncan-Johnson said she now believes her son was assaulted by prison staff because her son’s injuries do not line up with the FTC staff’s story.

“He had defensive scratches all over his left shoulder [and] down on his chest. He had blood on his wrists as if he had been handcuffed to something. Both his knees were scraped. And I said, ‘What is this? Because I know that this does not come from hanging,’” she told the outlet. “When I inquired about those injuries, I kind of got silence.”

Anonymous medical professionals interviewed by KFOR said they agreed with Duncan-Johnson, and that they believe Duncan had been beaten.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons said in a statement, “For privacy, safety, and security reasons, the Federal Bureau of Prisons does not comment on or discuss the conditions of confinement for any individual in our custody, including their health status.”

Duncan-Johnson said she wants a full investigation into what happened to her son. As he needs round-the-clock care, Duncan was released from prison and a GoFundMe has been set up to help cover his medical costs.

“He’s still fighting, which is why I’m here. I want to make sure that we get justice for my son. He deserves that. He didn’t deserve this,” Duncan-Johnson told the station.