Mark Walker, a 61-year-old Charleston resident, died in custody at the Al Cannon Detention Center on December 6, 2025, sparking scrutiny over jail operations and transparency. Arrested November 16 on serious drug and weapons charges after a North Charleston traffic stop uncovered fentanyl, meth, cocaine, and Xanax, he was initially denied jail entry due to medical issues and hospitalized before admission on November 19.
Arrest Details
Officers stopped a vehicle at an Exxon on Rivers Avenue, finding drug paraphernalia, needles, and multiple narcotics that field-tested positive, including 5.82 grams of meth/fentanyl mix. Walker had an active Clarendon County warrant for burglary failure-to-appear; two suspects were hospitalized, but only he and one other were denied initial jail intake.
Ongoing Investigation
As of late December 2025, the coroner’s cause of death remains pending autopsy, with SLED leading the probe alongside Sheriff’s Office internal review. Spokesperson Lexi Douglas pledged thorough checks and transparency once complete, amid backlash over a short-lived policy to withhold “natural deaths.”
Broader Context
This marks another Al Cannon incident in a pattern—18 deaths in a decade, including recent homicide rulings like Mary Brucato’s from fentanyl complications and neglect, plus a 2023 DOJ probe into medical care failures. Community vigils highlight calls for accountability in Charleston County custody.
