Former Chiropractor Sentenced to Life for Attempted Murder Involving Life Insurance Fraud
Former Morgan County Chiropractor Sentenced to Life for Poisoning Wife
A Calculated Poisoning for Profit
In a deeply disturbing case out of Morgan County, Alabama, former chiropractor Brian Mann, age 36, was officially sentenced on August 27, 2025, to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the attempted murder of his wife, Hannah Mann, via lead poisoning.
The jury had previously convicted Mann in June 2025 after deliberating for nearly three hours over two days. Prosecutors revealed that Mann had poisoned his wife with lead over an extended period, causing her to ingest toxic levels, with the aim of securing a payout from multiple life insurance policies. He stood to gain more than $1 million as the listed beneficiary.
The Ordeal of Hannah Mann
Hannah began experiencing serious symptoms of lead poisoning but was repeatedly denied medical care by her husband. She finally sought treatment only after her mother insisted. At the hospital, her lead level measured in the 80s, far beyond the safe threshold of around 10.
Medical experts testified that Hannah’s condition was so severe she was temporarily paralyzed, and even minor movement risked increasing pressure on her brain. Her colon required irrigation to remove the lead buildup, something doctors testified could only result from ingestion.
Despite long-lasting health issues and persistently elevated lead levels, Hannah expressed forgiveness toward Brian, saying:
“I’ve forgiven him, and I just wish that he could change someday to change his ways… for his family and children.”
Trial and Sentencing
During closing arguments, prosecutors emphasized that this wasn't a single tragic decision, it was a “daily decision” to try to kill his wife, underscoring the premeditated nature of the crime.
Brian Mann declined to present a defense and chose not to speak. Judge Charles Elliott, who remarked he had “never seen a defendant snicker during closing arguments” delivered the life sentence. The judge further noted that he wished to be notified if Mann ever becomes eligible for parole, to personally oppose his release.
Insurance Lessons from a Tragedy
While the Mann case is a chilling story of marital betrayal and attempted murder, it also serves as a stark reminder of how life insurance can be abused. Policies meant to provide financial security for families in times of grief instead became the motive for a calculated crime.
For insurers, the case underscores the need for vigilant fraud detection, thorough beneficiary reviews, and careful scrutiny of unusual claims. For families, it is a reminder that while insurance is a powerful tool for protection, it can also, in rare and tragic cases, become a dangerous incentive when greed and malice intersect.
In the end, the Mann case is not just about a failed murder plot it’s about the fragile balance between trust, financial security, and the darker motives that can arise when large sums of money are at stake.