Christian Black
Christian Black, 25, was held at the Montgomery County Jail in Ohio in March 2025. His family describes him as a young man who loved his family, friends, sports and good food, and who would give the shirt off his back. Jail staff used a Taser, pepper spray and a restraint chair on him, and he lost consciousness; he died at a hospital on March 26. The Montgomery County Coroner has ruled the death a homicide from mechanical and positional asphyxia, and the Dayton Police Department is investigating. The family's attorneys say jail employees did not follow proper policies and gave no life-saving aid, and the family has reached a $7 million settlement with the county.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). The Montgomery County Coroner ruled the death a homicide from mechanical and positional asphyxia while jailers restrained him in a restraint chair, and family attorneys say staff restrained him to death, did not follow policy, and gave no life-saving aid.
Reported by: Montgomery County Coroner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Montgomery County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Christian Black's family and attorney Robert Gresham (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family settled with Montgomery County, Ohio, for $7 million, and their lawsuit against the jail's medical contractor, Naphcare, continues.
News reports (7)
- 10 Ohio jail staff placed on leave after inmate dies following restraint chair use
- Family of man who died in jail custody seeking charges
- Family seeks murder charges after coroner rules Ohio inmate's death was homicide
- Kansas City area couple wants changes for restraint chair use after nephew’s death
- Ohio county agrees to $7M settlement over Christian Black’s death after jail guards restrained him, family says
- $7 million settlement reached for family after restraint chair death
- Family ‘deeply disappointed’ after jailers avoid charges for man’s in-custody death, lawyers say