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| Family of Dead Inmate Request Arrest Videos |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 02/20/2006 |
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The family members of a Harrison County, Miss.,inmate who died in custody have requested copies of videotapes documenting his arrest and treatment, a Gulfport attorney said. Michael Crosby said he has filed subpoenas on behalf of Jessie Lee Williams' family that order Police Chief Alan Weatherford and Sheriff George H. Payne Jr. to hand over copies of recordings by Feb. 24. Williams, 40, of Gulfport, essentially died from "a bleeding in the brain," County Coroner Gary Hargrove said. Crosby is seeking any video recordings that can document the period between Williams' first contact with police officers until he was transported to the hospital. Williams was declared brain dead on Feb. 6 and the family made the decision to take him off life support, Hargrove said. He was hospitalized on Feb. 4 after he was placed in restraints at the jail and was "non-responsive" following an altercation with jailers. "In addition to a prolonged, unrelenting beating, a sack was pulled over Jessie's head," Crosby said last week. "Pepper spray was sprayed inside the sack, which was then pulled tight. While shackled in a lifeless state, he was left unattended with no proper medical care for a prolonged period before an ambulance was called." Williams' brother, Terry Williams, is listed as the wrongful death representative on the subpoena. The subpoenas are the first step in establishing whether a wrongful death suit is merited, Crosby said. "I'm usually very hesitant to take this type of case," Crosby said. "They're hard to prove and you can easily spend $100,000 on a case like this before you realize it. In this case, very credible witnesses have come forward." Williams was recorded on five videotapes at the Sheriff's Department, Crosby said. Terry Williams read the following statement at his brother's funeral on Tuesday: "He died at the hands of the very people who took an oath to protect us. We will not stop until the truth comes out and justice is served. We are still calling out to all of you, and praying that all of you who were witnesses to this outrage, contact our lawyer." One jailer is still on leave while state agencies and the FBI investigate the death. |
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