Families of incarcerated Alabamians who died in prison and whose organs were subsequently harvested demanded a meeting with University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) officials Tuesday in Montgomery. The demand came as their civil lawsuit, alleging the unauthorized harvesting of organs, faces continued delays and legal maneuvers by defense attorneys.
Speaking after a court hearing where UAB sought to dismiss some counts of the lawsuit, relatives expressed a desire for administrators to hear their personal stories and called for justice for their loved ones. Simone Moore, whose brother Kelvin Moore died in Limestone Correctional Facility in 2023, voiced frustration over the ongoing legal process. She stated, "If the attorneys for the Alabama Department of Corrections and UAB want to prolong this, they are the only ones who are benefiting financially." Moore added that she believes UAB trustees should question their attorneys about the justification for prolonging the process.
The civil lawsuit, initially filed in 2024 by eight families, accuses the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) of harvesting the organs of their deceased loved ones who died while incarcerated. These organs were then reportedly sent to the University of Alabama Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs allege that these organs were harvested without their permission, a practice they contend violates Alabama law. The lawsuit further states that a group of medical students at the Heersink School of Medicine noticed that many specimens used in their curriculum were taken from individuals who died in Alabama's prisons.
Montgomery Circuit Judge J.R. Gaines presided over arguments on Tuesday regarding UAB's motion to dismiss portions of the case, but did not issue an immediate ruling. A trial for the consolidated lawsuits is tentatively scheduled to commence in December 2027.
Since the initial lawsuit was filed, several other families have come forward and filed separate legal actions, which have since been combined with the original case.
Defense counsel for UAB and the ADOC argued in February 2025 that state agencies are protected by absolute immunity and therefore cannot be held liable in civil lawsuits. Judge Gaines, however, ruled against UAB and ADOC in April 2025, allowing the case to proceed into the discovery phase. Following this ruling, the defendants appealed directly to the Alabama Supreme Court concerning one of the lawsuits, specifically the action filed by the family of Charles Edward Singleton, 74, whose organs were harvested without permission after his death in prison.
In January 2026, the Alabama Supreme Court justices dismissed six of the seven claims in that appeal, but allowed one claim related to the Alabama Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (AUAGA) to remain. The justices noted that attorneys for the defendants had not formally requested the dismissal of this specific claim in circuit court.
During Tuesday's hearing, attorneys representing UAB and ADOC argued that the statute of limitations for filing a civil claim based on the AUAGA had expired. They also contended that the officials who signed the relevant agreements are individuals employed by the state and are therefore immune from prosecution. Defense counsel additionally sought to dismiss new claims filed by plaintiffs against individuals, asserting that these lawsuits were filed after the two-year statute of limitations had expired.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs countered these arguments on Tuesday, stating that the defendants do not possess immunity for their alleged wrongdoing. They further argued that the timeline for the statute of limitations did not begin until the family members became aware they had a viable case, an awareness that came well after the autopsies were performed and still fell within the legal timeframe.
Several families present on Tuesday shared the profound grief they have experienced upon learning that their loved ones’ organs had been removed. Tyrus Franklin, the brother of Kelvin Moore, remarked on the emotional toll, stating, "It has been heartbreaking because every time we go to court, we get to live it and do not see that justice has been done."
As the legal proceedings continue, families affected by these allegations remain steadfast in their pursuit of justice and accountability from the entities involved.