The Charleston County Council in South Carolina has made the decision to pay $10 million to Jamal Sutherland’s family. Jamal was a Black inmate whose demise occurred in prison. This particular decision was made during a council meeting on May 25, according to CNN.
It was at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston that Sutherland passed away on Jan. 5 after a struggle with two deputies. The graphic video showcased the fatal encounter when Jamal refused to exit the cell to attend a bond court hearing. Then, Sgt. Lindsay Fickett and Detention Deputy Brian Houle used a stun gun to shock him at least “six to eight times”.
Moreover, the detention officers made use of pepper spray before they placed a spit mask on his head and then pressed him against the floor. They continued to ignore his please and then tried to make him sit in a restraint chair. However, Sutherland who was a patient of schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder seemed to be unresponsive. Though a medic was invited to check his vitals and tried CPR, they couldn’t revive him.
Initially, Fickett and Houle were suspended and was only fired at a later point due to the roles they played in the death of Sutherland. However, family of Sutherland is asking for the detention officers to be criminally charged. His mother, Amy, added that these people must have been made accountable as soon as they murdered her son. She stated that the question shouldn’t be as to what they must be charged with and instead, must be when they should be charged. She explained that if they get away with her son’s murders, people must be concerned about their own families and others who have mental illnesses. She added that nobody should be murdered because of mental illness. We must not run away from people with mental illness because we are different. She sought justice for her son’s murder and stated that they must be imprisoned.
According to Charleston County Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, the charging decision will be announced in June.
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