Seven Collin County jail employees were placed on administrative leave after a 26-year-old man died there Sunday afternoon, hours after his family says he was arrested for marijuana possession.
via: Revolt
A Black man who was arrested on marijuana charges passed away amid an encounter with multiple detention officers.
As Vice reported, Allen police were responding to a disturbance call at a local outlet when they encountered 26-year-old Marvin David Scott III — who happened to be sitting next to a rolled cannabis joint — acting erratically. “Concerned for his safety due to the possible ingestion of drugs,” the police called for help from the Allen Fire Department, who brought him to a local hospital.
Scott — who reportedly suffers from schizophrenia — stayed in the emergency room for nearly three hours before he was discharged. He was then taken to the Collin County Jail for possessing less than two ounces of weed.
According to Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner, Scott started exhibiting strange behavior once he was booked. Seven detention officers attempted to restrain him and strap him to a bed, but the 26-year old continued to resist, prompting them to use pepper spray and put him in a spit hood. Scott eventually became unresponsive and was taken to a local medical center where he was prounounced dead.
Scott’s family is angered and is seeking answers. They believe he was in crisis when he was detained and argue he should have been transported to a mental health facility, not a detention center. It is not clear whether the officers were aware of Scott’s history of mental illness.
The Texas Rangers, the city of Allen and the Allen Police Department are conducting an investigation into Scott’s death, while the sheriff’s office will determine whether any policies were violated. In the meantime, the seven detention officers have been placed on administrative leave.
“What’s needed now is patience. I’m not here to make excuses for anyone. People are upset. The family is upset,” said Skinner. “The community is upset. I’m upset, The death of this young man is a profound tragedy, and we have an obligation to uncover the full and complete truth.”
Sending condolences to the family for their lost.
