Jail Administrator Among 12 Fired After Willis’ Death, Records Show

PARAGOULD, Ark. — Greene County’s jail administrator and a lieutenant were fired for failing to supervise employees after 18-year-old Atiyana Willis died in custody, according to termination letters obtained by NEA Report through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Jail administrator Jacob White and jail supervisor Lt. Bryan Alspaugh were among nine employees dismissed Sept. 30. Three others were fired Oct. 14.

Willis died Sept. 22 after a medical emergency at the Greene County Detention Center. Snyder previously said staff failed to assist her and ordered additional training for jail employees.

In White’s Sept. 30 termination letter, Snyder wrote that an internal investigation found multiple employees under White’s command had violated department policies.

“Your failure to adequately supervise and enforce department procedures has caused me to lose faith and confidence in your ability to meet the expectations of this department,” Snyder wrote.

Alspaugh’s termination letter also cites his own on-duty conduct. The other 10 employees’ letters give substantially the same reason for their dismissals: on-duty conduct that violated department policies and procedures.

The letters do not describe what each employee did during Willis’ detention or identify the specific policies violated.

The 12 Employees Fired

Nine employees were fired effective Sept. 30:

1. Bryan Alspaugh
2. Christopher Bryant
3. Fini Moore
4. Jacob White
5. Katlynn Green
6. Kenneth Rogers
7. Megan Sheridan
8. Timothy Moffitt
9. Wayne Brandt

Three employees were fired effective Oct. 14:

1. Cody Howe
2. Dane Barnum
3. Rhett Lowe

Snyder announced the three additional firings Oct. 19. The letters show those employees had been dismissed five days earlier.

Lieutenant Reprimanded Over Hospital Transport

Alspaugh’s file also documents a verbal reprimand over a Sept. 8 incident involving a different inmate, a man whom a medical provider had ordered transported to a hospital.

According to the disciplinary report, Alspaugh intervened in the transport. The inmate later reported an improvement in his condition, but that did not authorize Alspaugh to alter the provider’s decision, the report states.

White is listed as the supervisor on the form. The supervisor’s comments say the decision was made to avoid leaving the shift even more short-handed, but that convenience could not be considered in that situation.

The report directed that changes in an inmate’s condition be reported to medical staff, who would decide whether to change or withdraw a transport order.

The incident occurred two weeks before Willis’ death. Alspaugh’s termination letter does not say whether the earlier reprimand factored into his firing.

Earlier Suspensions

Operations officer Katlynn Green had been suspended twice before her September firing, according to her personnel file.

An April 15 letter imposed a two-day unpaid suspension for repeated personal phone use on duty and personal use of detention facility phones. The letter described the conduct as insubordination.

An Aug. 18 letter imposed a three-day unpaid suspension over attendance and tardiness. It served as a final written warning that further misconduct could result in termination.

Green’s termination letter does not identify the conduct that led to her dismissal or say whether the earlier suspensions played a role.

Several employees’ files also contain favorable evaluations and officer-of-the-month nominations.

Attorney Kimberly Dale released the 12 personnel files, totaling 993 PDF pages, Nov. 2 in response to NEA Report’s Oct. 19 Freedom of Information Act request.

Willis’ estate filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Oct. 1 alleging failures in medical care, supervision and training. 

The released records contain no autopsy finding and do not establish whether any employee’s actions caused or contributed to Willis’ death.