Report on inmate’s death sent to prosecutor

The Oconee County sheriff says the state police have finished their investigation of an inmate’s death and have sent the report to the circuit solicitor’s office.  Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says he’s awaiting a letter from Solicitor Chrissy Adams about the status of the case of Ernest Lee Smalley Jr.  The 33-year old Seneca resident died October 27 at a Greenville hospital after correctional staff members found Smalley in a jail cell and started CPR.  An autopsy arranged by Coroner Karl Addis showed the death to complications from a gastro-intestinal hemorrhage and DTs—Delirium tremens.  Addis ruled the death natural causes and Crenshaw said there did not appear to be any foul play.  But Smalley family members called a news conference a couple of weeks later and said they were seeking answers and complained they hadn’t received as much communication as they would have liked.  Rosalind Warren, Smalley’s mother, said, “Something doesn’t make sense.”