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Arizona Death Row Inmate Dies Of Complications From COVID-19

Alfonso Salazar
Arizona Department of Corrections
/
handout | agency
Alfonso Salazar

An Arizona death row inmate has died due to complications from COVID-19.

Alfonso Salazar was housed at the state prison in Florence, Central Unit. He had been hospitalized since April 21.

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's website shows Salazar's death occurred April 30.

Assistant Federal Public Defender Dale Baich says his office was advised today that "Mr. Salazar passed away late this morning as a result of complications from COVID-19. He died in the hospital."

“The prison was slow to act,” Baich said, “and is not being transparent about its handling of the pandemic. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, medical care in Arizona prisons was poor and it is the subject of ongoing litigation."

Baich says Salazar was sentenced to die but not like this.

“This is a critical time, and states must do much more to protect public health and to provide better care and more transparency as this virus moves through the country's prison population,” Baich said.

The Arizona Department of Corrections has so far not confirmed any inmate deaths related to COVID-19.

→  Read The Latest News On The Coronavirus Disease 

Jimmy Jenkins was a producer and senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2014 to 2021.