Robert Loggins
Robert Loggins, 26, was remembered by his sister, Jessica Hayes, as a boy who loved to draw and write poetry; he later earned his GED, worked several jobs, began studying welding at community college, and recorded his own rap music. He died on November 29, 2018, while held at the Grenada County Jail in Mississippi. According to body camera and jail video described in reporting, officers used a Taser and a flashlight on him, carried him face down into the jail lobby, and left him there while at least four officers and jailers piled on him to remove his handcuffs, and an officer was shown kneeling on his neck. The state medical examiner ruled the death an accident caused by methamphetamine toxicity, while a forensic pathologist who reviewed the case concluded it was asphyxia, and a lawsuit by his estate is pending.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). The Mississippi medical examiner ruled the death an accident from methamphetamine toxicity, but a forensic pathologist who reviewed video says positional asphyxia caused it, and his child's mother's 2021 lawsuit disputes how he died; officers beat, Tased, and knelt on him, and sat on his head while carrying him face down into the jail lobby.
Reported by: Mississippi Medical Examiner (medical examiner or coroner); forensic pathologist who reviewed the video; his child's mother's 2021 lawsuit (family or their lawyers); jail and body camera video.
Lawsuit: His child's mother filed a lawsuit in 2021 disputing how he died, and his estate's lawsuit is pending with no settlement or award reported.