Officials Say Discovery Of Dead Prisoner Might Have Been Delayed

Sunday, September 30th 2007, 7:28 pm

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- A newspaper is reporting that a prisoner at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary might have been dead for at least two days before his death was discovered. A McAlester newspaper reports that investigations by the state Department of Corrections' Internal Affairs unit and the state Medical Examiner's office have started into the circumstances surrounding the death of William Smith.

Prison spokesman Terry Crenshaw says the 55-year-old Smith was found dead in his cell on Monday morning.

Crenshaw says a preliminary investigation indicates it's possible that the inmate had been deceased since late Friday evening.

Crenshaw says it appeared Smith had been strangled. Crenshaw said Smith's cellmate has since been moved to another unit at the McAlester prison.

Crenshaw said it was, quote, "still uncertain" how an inmate could remain dead in a cell from a Friday until a Monday.