Matthew Ajibade
Matthew Ajibade was a 22-year-old college student from Nigeria who studied computer science in Savannah, and friends and family remember him as peaceful, ambitious, and much-loved; his family says he had bipolar disorder. He died on New Year's Day 2015 in an isolation cell at the Chatham County jail, where he had been placed in a restraint chair during booking. Coroner William Wessinger ruled the death a homicide caused by blunt-force injuries. Prosecutors say a deputy used a Taser on him while he was restrained and that a supervisor did not check on him for about 90 minutes, and his family says he was in the middle of a mental health episode and did not receive treatment. The sheriff's office has described the encounter differently, and the family disputes that account.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). The Chatham County coroner ruled the death a homicide from blunt-force injuries, and prosecutors say a deputy used a Taser on him while he was restrained, but the sheriff's office says he became violent during booking and his family's lawyers say he was having a mental health crisis that went untreated and that a supervisor failed to check on him for about 90 minutes.
Reported by: Chatham County coroner (medical examiner or coroner); Georgia Bureau of Investigation (outside investigators); Chatham County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); family's lawyers (family or their lawyers); prosecutors.
News reports (11)
- Nine Georgia Sheriff Deputies Fired After Black Man Dies In Custody
- Nine Georgia deputies fired over death of college student in jail
- Georgia man found dead in jail restraining chair ruled homicide
- Matthew Ajibade's Georgia jail death ruled a HOMICIDE
- Family of Georgia man who died in custody: 'We want to know why'
- Grand jury indicts three people in death of college student in Georgia jail
- 2 former Georgia deputies indicted in jail death of Nigerian student
- Graphic Video Shows Deputies Tasing Man in Restraint Chair
- Video shows Georgia deputy shocking handcuffed inmate in the groin with Taser before he was found dead
- Jury asked to convict Georgia jailers in death of detainee
- Georgia ex-deputies found guilty of lesser charges in student’s jail death