Jessie Lee Williams
Jessie Lee Williams died in February 2006 after being held at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center in Gulfport, Mississippi. His family filed a civil lawsuit alleging negligence and wrongdoing, and in July 2007 Harrison County and the City of Gulfport reached settlements, with the county making no admission of liability. At a later federal trial of two jailers, video was shown of Williams being punched, hogtied, pepper sprayed and restrained in a chair, and his brother Terry Williams watched it in court. The jailers' conduct was the subject of that trial.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). Federal prosecutors say video shows jailers punching, hogtying, pepper spraying and restraining Jessie Lee Williams in a chair before he died, and his family's lawsuit alleges negligence and wrongdoing, while the county made no admission of liability in its settlement.
Reported by: federal prosecutors; his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); news reporting on the federal trial of two jailers.
Lawsuit: His family sued Harrison County and the City of Gulfport and both reached settlements in July 2007, with the county making no admission of liability.