Spann, James Clarence

Tenure Summary

James Clarence Spann entered GDC as a Counselor at Autry State Prison in 2004, then served as Chief Counselor at Calhoun State Prison (2009) and a behavioral-health counselor at Wilcox State Prison (2015). His leadership track ran through Wilcox as Deputy Warden (2016–2019) and Autry as Deputy Warden (2020), then his first wardenship at Burruss C.T.C. (2021–2022), Warden at Lee State Prison (January 2023–December 2024), and Warden at Ware State Prison since January 1, 2024. He is recorded as active.

GPS's death registry attributes 41 deaths to the facilities he led during those tenures: 30 at Ware State Prison, 8 at Autry State Prison, 2 at Lee State Prison and 1 at Burruss C.T.C. No lawsuit naming him as a defendant appears in the records. Four State of Georgia liability settlements tied to Wilcox State Prison, totaling $1,350,242.29, fall inside his Deputy Warden posting there, per the GA DOAS Risk Management settlement ledger.

What happened on their watch

Wilcox State Prison — Deputy Warden (2016–2019). Wilcox does not appear in the facility-level death totals for his tenures. Four settlements sourced to the GA DOAS Risk Management settlement ledger (Open Records) are recorded at his role of Deputy Warden: Jeffrey Ray, incident 2016, $2,000 (settlement dated October 31, 2016); Ricky Johnson, incident 2016, $48,242.29 (October 12, 2016); Jimmy Lucero, incident 2016, $550,000 (June 29, 2016); and James Wheeler, incident 2017, $750,000 (October 29, 2017).

Autry State Prison — Deputy Warden (2020). Eight deaths are attributed to Autry during this posting: Cordell James Shipman, 22, died November 24, 2020; Mark Ramos, 59, died October 8, 2020; Richard Office, 80, died May 22, 2020; Thomas Edward White, 75, died May 9, 2020; James Mitchell Blankenship, 67, died April 30, 2020; Willie J. Bell, 68, died April 22, 2020; Dennis Lee Hammons, 62, died February 20, 2020; and Darren Nicholas Wehrle, 32, died February 13, 2020. Seven are recorded as Natural/Medical; Ramos's entry is Unknown/Pending.

Burruss C.T.C. — Warden 1 (2021–2022). One death: Robert Carey Seymour, 58, died March 9, 2022; the registry cause is Unknown/Pending.

Lee State Prison — Warden (January 2023 – December 2024). Two deaths, both recorded Unknown/Pending: Christopher Aaron Godfrey, 40, died January 16, 2024, and Daniel Emmett Ivey, 26, died February 15, 2024.

Ware State Prison — Warden (January 1, 2024 – present). Thirty deaths are attributed here, the largest share of the 41. Beyond the named decedents below, the registry records David Renfro, 43, died October 16, 2024; Ted Daniel Karras, 67, died December 20, 2024; Lyen Motin, 66, died December 25, 2024; Scott Lee Hullander, 53, died December 31, 2024; and Freddie Calloway, who died January 1, 2025.

GPS's registry records the following deaths at Ware during his tenure:

• Demarcus McClarin died January 7, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical.
• Antonio Leon Moses died March 22, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Suicide (age 46).
• Lon Taylor Willbanks died April 19, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Overdose (age 31).
• Charles Johnny Rice died April 27, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide (age 62).
• Henry A Hamilton died May 9, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical (age 79).
• Barry Lynn Rutherford died May 25, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Overdose (age 36).
• David Michael Dixon died July 14, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical (age 76).
• Dakota Lee Duffin died July 19, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Suicide (age 29).
• Matias Elijaone Evans died August 15, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending (age 28).
• Jose Hervert Vazquez died September 9, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending (age 53).
• Michael Cohen died October 13, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical (age 68).
• Marty Shawn Wright died November 13, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Suicide (age 49).
• Christopher Allen Barrett died December 1, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide (age 46).
• Vernon Edward Kennedy died December 12, 2025, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Accident (age 70).
• Carlton Atkins Jones died January 24, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical (age 55).
• Christopher Henry died February 12, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide (age 48).
• Cody Humphrey died February 21, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical (age 72).
• Anthony Terrell Grover died May 11, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide (age 25).
• Justin Dean Pulley died May 20, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide (age 48).
• Johnathan Cleo Hardman-Simmons died May 20, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Suicide (age 36).
• Kojack Junior Thomas died May 31, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide (age 27).
• David Randolph Newcomer died June 30, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending (age 85).
• Reberto Baez died July 9, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending (age 69).
• David Miller Newman died July 15, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending (age 60).
• David Williams died September 13, 2026, at Ware State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Suicide.

Two Ware entries carry homicide classifications made by GPS that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation did not adopt: Karras and Rice. In both, the GBI certified the manner of death as undetermined, and in both the registry notes state that a complete autopsy documented neck compression and that homicide could not be excluded. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on January 21, 2025 that ten inmates were killed at Ware between July 2020 and August 2024, with multiple inmates involved in several of the homicides according to GDC incident reports. On January 28, 2026, the AJC reported that GDC publicly described the August 1, 2020 Ware incident as a "disturbance" while internal records describe hostage-taking, escape attempts, assaults and use of force. Allegations submitted to GPS describe stabbings at Ware in April 2026, including people transported to outside hospitals and a lockdown that disrupted movement or releases, and alleged gang-related violence on March 15, 2026 that sent at least one incarcerated person to an outside hospital. A June 2, 2026 event records that GDC's Office of Professional Standards is leading the investigation into Thomas's death as a potential homicide and that his body was sent to the GBI crime lab. A July 12, 2025 event records a riot at Ware and a subsequent punitive lockdown. On September 6, 2026, the Butts County Sheriff's Office reported a July traffic stop involving items allegedly destined for Ware and a July seizure of contraband headed there. A March 17, 2026 event naming Janice Buttrum records a federal judge ruling that Georgia's parole process for juvenile lifers may violate the Eighth Amendment.

Sources

• GPS death registry — 41 deaths attributed to facilities under Spann's leadership (Ware 30, Autry 8, Lee 2, Burruss 1)
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution — January 21, 2025 report on ten inmates killed at Ware, July 2020–August 2024; January 28, 2026 report on GDC's "disturbance" characterization versus internal records
• GA DOAS Risk Management settlement ledger (Open Records) — four Wilcox State Prison payouts, 2016–2017
• GPS case submissions — April 2026 stabbing allegations and March 15, 2026 gang-violence allegation at Ware State Prison
• GPS event records — GDC Office of Professional Standards investigation into the death of Kojack Junior Thomas (June 2026); Ware riot and lockdown (July 2025); Butts County Sheriff's Office contraband reports (September 2026); March 17, 2026 court event naming Janice Buttrum

Synthesized by GPS Intelligence System on Oct 6, 2026 from positions, attributed deaths, lawsuits, intel reports, and news mentions in the public corpus. The supporting data tables follow below.