More details released on what led to Duval inmate’s death

One week after Charles Faggart was critically injured while an inmate at the Duval County jail, police released a report Monday that recounts a chaotic struggle and medical emergency that ultimately led to Faggart’s death.

Much of the report released Monday is blacked out to conceal details during the investigation. But under the category of Suspected Medical Emergency, the report says: “SEIZURE (WITNESSED).”

The five-page report was accompanied by the names of the corrections sergeant and eight officers who were stripped of their authority after the incident. They are Sgt. W.H. Cox and corrections officers J.J. Bullard, T.C. Pennamon, G.L. Mckinnis, D.D. Thomas, M.E. Sullivan, P.L. Collins, A.K. Maygoo and E. Kurtovic.

Ten other corrections office staff, including two lieutenants and a sergeant, are listed in the report. Police said they are not part of the active investigation but may have witnessed a portion of the incident or responded to assist.

The report states that the Sheriff’s Office investigation remains in its early stages and must be independently reviewed by the Medical Examiner’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office. Sheriff T.K. Water also has asked the FBI to assist.

“It is a top priority for Sheriff Waters and his administration to get the information involving this incident to Mr. Faggart’s family, friends, and our community,” a news release states. “However, we ask people to respect that serious investigations like this take time and it is our duty to get it right. Rest assured: We will release relevant case details as soon as we are able to do so.”

Attorney Belkis Plata said the family was frustrated and angry that the Sheriff’s Office released the information without notifying the family in advance. The family has “been begging for answers, only to receive fragmented and selective information through media reports, under the guise of transparency,” she said.

On Friday, Plata released a statement saying that Faggart’s family “firmly believes that accountability and justice can — and must — coexist with peace.”

“They also recognize that while there are officers whose actions must be called into question, there are many good and honorable members of law enforcement who serve this community with integrity,” her statement said. “The family asks that the community remember this distinction as they lift their voices and demand justice for Charles.”

Faggart was the father of a 6-year-old son and was a chef who operated Chop It Charlie’s food truck. He was jailed April 1 on charges of assault and criminal mischief, jail records show.

Faggart was arrested after an argument with his former girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, a police report said. She told police he threatened, “I will shoot you in the face, and I will shoot anyone you call on me.” She provided police a video of the argument.

Faggart’s family posted a gofundme appeal Tuesday after learning of his injuries in jail and has raised over $9,200 for funeral and family expenses.

“While the full details are still unfolding, one thing is clear — Charles was harmed while in a place where he should have been safe,” the gofundme says.

The report released by police indicates that the incident started just after 7 a.m. April 7 and ended two hours later in a sixth floor cellblock. It began as Cox, Kurtovic and Vertus escorted Faggart, listed at 5 feet 7 and 175 pounds, into his cell dormitory. Faggart was wearing a one-piece restraint behind his back.

“Faggart was displaying aggressive, erratic and disruptive behavior by thrashing his body, clenching his fist and pushing and pulling actions while attempting to escort into the dorm,” the narrative, written by Pennamon, said. “Due to Inmate Faggart’s behavior, Sergeant Cox deemed him a threat to himself, others and property, and that he be placed in the Restraint Safety Chair.”

Faggart was put in the restraint chair but could not be secured “due to his increasingly aggressive behavior by kicking his feet and thrashing his body,” the report said. Attempts to secure him continued, but Faggart continued to thrash and kick.

What happened next is redacted in the report, but the narrative continues three lines later by saying that Faggart was calming down and a “spit mask” was put on him to keep him from spitting. A lieutenant was called on the radio and showed up at 7:12 a.m. Just before 7:30 a.m., the jail mental health director and a nurse arrived to evaluate Faggart.

Faggart told the mental health director that he did fentanyl, the report said. She deemed him fit to be placed in “self-harm housing.”

At 7:28 a.m., a nurse declared Faggart medically fit to remain in the restraint chair, and the mental health director evaluated him again about 8:40 a.m.

What happened next was also redacted, but the report said two more sergeants and six officers arrived, and the spit mask was taken off. But sometime later, officers felt it necessary to put Faggart back in the restraint chair “for the safety of himself, others and property,” and the spit mask later was replaced.

After several redacted lines, the report says a medical issue arose by 9 a.m. Medical staff arrived with a lieutenant, followed by Jails Division Chief Paul Restivo.

A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department crew arrived three minutes later, but the narrative indicated that Faggart’s medical condition had deteriorated further. Emergency workers loaded him onto a stretcher and used a device to deliver chest compressions as he was taken to UF Health Shands.

“No add-on charges were placed against Inmate Faggart,” the report says.

Plata, the family attorney, said Faggart obviously was in cardiac arrest by 9 a.m. and brain dead when he arrived at the hospital. Yet the family was not called until nearly 36 hours later, she said. “They have learned everything they know alongside the rest of the community — and that is simply unacceptable,” Plata said. “The fact that this is the narrative being presented to the public, while the family continues to sit in the dark is devastating.”

The Jacksonville Community Action Committee held a rally Sunday on the steps of the Police Memorial Building to demand justice for victims of police and jail violence.

More than a hundred protesters carried signs, many printed with “Justice for Charlie.” Spokesperson Zuri Davis demanded accountability from the Sheriff’s Office.

“We are demanding the release of the video,” Davis said, referring to jail surveillance video. “We are demanding that the officers be indicted as well.” 

The Sheriff’s Office, in the release Monday, said the agency understands that a “critical incident such as this generates questions and concerns.” 

The Sheriff’s Office wants the community to have all the available information “as soon as possible while maintaining the integrity of the criminal investigation,” the statement said.

Once the criminal aspect of the case has been concluded, the Sheriff’s Office will determine whether its staff followed policies and procedures correctly.