Michael McDougle
Michael McDougle, 29, was a father of three, and his widow, Brittney, and their young children are grieving him, according to his attorney. He was taken into custody on November 1, 2014, and was held at the Neshoba County Jail in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where jailers found him dead the next morning. The Mississippi medical examiner's autopsy lists a head injury and drug toxicity as causes of death. His widow's lawsuit, which seeks $10 million, alleges that officers beat him and used a stun gun on him while he was handcuffed, and the county and officers deny wrongdoing. His family's attorney says the FBI and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are looking into the death.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed). The family's lawsuit says officers beat him and used a stun gun on him while he was handcuffed, and eyewitnesses told the family the same, while the county and officers deny wrongdoing and the autopsy lists head injury and mixed-drug toxicity as causes of death.
Reported by: Mississippi medical examiner's office (medical examiner or coroner); family's attorney and lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Neshoba County Jail (the agency that held him).
Lawsuit: His family sued over his death in Neshoba County custody, seeking $10 million, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.