A Tennessee woman has been charged with second-degree murder after she allegedly slipped a prison inmate some drugs several months ago.
According to authorities, Rachal Dollard, 33, was responsible for Joshua Brown's death after he swallowed some meth she tried to slip to him during a kiss the pair exchanged.
Kiss of Death
"In February, Dollard was observed passing drugs to inmate Joshua Brown as the two exchanged a kiss during visitation at the Turney Center Industrial Complex," the Tennessee Department of Correction said in a statement published Tuesday. "Brown swallowed a balloon pellet containing half an ounce of methamphetamine."
Brown later died of an overdose at a local hospital. He was serving an 11-year sentence in prison for drug-related charges, authorities said. His sentence was set to expire in 2029.
Dollard Charged with Murder, Smuggling Contraband into the Prison
Tennessee Department of Correction special agents and the Dickson County Sheriff's Department arrested Dollard this weekend on a warrant from a sealed indictment in Hickman County, authorities said. In addition to the murder charge, Dollard is being held at the Hickman County Jail for introduction of contraband into a penal facility. It wasn't immediately clear whether Dollard had an attorney.
"This incident points to the real dangers of introducing contraband into prisons and the consequences that follow," said David Imhof, Director of the TDOC's Office of Investigations and Conduct. "Our agency will pursue prosecution against any individual who threatens the safety and security of our staff, the men and women in our custody, and our facilities."
The TDOC said several things are done to prevent contraband from entering prisons, including pat downs, vehicle and cell phone searches, and drug detection dogs. Body scanners are also currently being placed in facilities.
