James Brown
James Brown, a 26-year-old Army sergeant and Iraq War veteran, died on July 15, 2012 while held at the El Paso County Jail in Texas. Video released later shows officers in riot gear restraining him while he repeatedly said he could not breathe, and his family and attorneys say no ambulance or 911 call was made before he was taken to hospital. The El Paso County medical examiner and sheriff's office attributed his death to a sickle cell crisis, and the sheriff's office said he died of natural causes. His mother, Dinetta Scott, has pressed for answers, and a forensic pathologist hired for the family's lawsuit concluded the death was a homicide linked to the restraint; the county later settled the suit for nearly half a million dollars.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). The sheriff's office and autopsy attribute the death to sickle cell crisis, but the family and their attorneys dispute this, saying jail staff's restraint caused it and no ambulance or 911 call was made.
Reported by: El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles (the agency that held him); autopsy; family and attorneys; KFOX14 video (reporters).
Lawsuit: His family sued El Paso County over his death in the El Paso County jail, and the county settled the lawsuit for nearly half a million dollars.
News reports (9)
- Custodial death report PA12166CJ
- Video of Texas soldier shows moments before his death while in police custody
- Shocking Video: Texas Soldier Dies After Telling Jail Guards He Couldn’t Breathe 20 Times
- Former JBLM soldier's jail death prompts lawsuit
- Sgt. James Brown, 26, Survived Two Tours in Iraq Only to Die Begging for His Life in Texas Jail
- The Army Sgt Who Died in an El Paso Jail in 2012 After Claiming He Couldn’t Breathe
- Mother of soldier hopeful son's death in a Texas jail won't be repeated
- Mother of sergeant who died El Paso jail says more change is needed
- Sgt. James Brown survived two tours in Iraq only to die mysteriously in Texas jail shouting ‘I can’t breathe’