Dejour Palmer should be preparing for his upcoming jury trial in Allegheny County. Instead, his family is in the dark—wondering where he is, whether he’s safe, and why he’s being held without bail after the charge that landed him behind bars was dismissed in court.
According to his attorney, Palmer was arrested back on May 27th for allegedly being involved in a courtroom photo that was posted to Instagram—a charge that many view as a reach to begin with. But at his June 11th preliminary hearing, that charge was tossed out. The judge dropped it. Case dismissed.
Still, Palmer’s bail wasn’t restored. And that’s when things got worse.
He was removed from Allegheny County Jail records. His lawyer, Aaron Sontz, was told Palmer had been transferred to an “outside medical” facility. No explanation. No location. No paperwork. A court order to visit him was reportedly canceled by the sheriff’s office. No one—not his lawyer, not his sister, not his cousin—has heard from him since. That was four days ago.
Let that sink in.
A young Black man, not convicted of any crime, disappeared in the system after beating the charge—and nobody is being told where he is or why.
“This is not how the legal system is supposed to operate,” wrote Attorney Sontz in a public Facebook post. “We’re talking about a person who has not been convicted, who is being denied bail, legal counsel, and access to his family.”
Palmer’s sister, Arianna, has been going hard on social media to raise awareness. “Please, I’m hoping and praying my baby brother is OK,” she wrote. “Keep sharing, y’all. We love you, Dejour.”
His cousin, Hazey Taughtme—a media professional and CEO of Haze Entertainment—has been coordinating a public push to bring Dejour’s situation to light.
“This is bigger than our family. It’s about transparency, due process, and human rights,” Hazey told HipHopSince1987. “You can’t just disappear a man from the jail system and act like it’s normal.”
A press release from the family is making the rounds, and a folder of photos and statements are available for public distribution click here to access.
Why This Matters
Too often, stories like Dejour’s are ignored until it’s too late. The pattern of over-policing, unconstitutional detainment, and mysterious jail transfers has played out in cities across the country—especially for young Black men caught in pretrial limbo.
This isn’t about guilt or innocence. It’s about the fact that a man has been taken off the grid while in state custody, with no access to his lawyer and no communication with his family, despite no active charges holding him.
As the family prepares to take legal action, they’re calling on civil rights attorneys, media, and the community to amplify Dejour’s story before he becomes another name lost in the system.
If you’re reading this, you’re part of the culture. That means you’re also part of the responsibility. Share it. Speak on it. Press the system until they answer.
© 2025, Logan. All rights reserved.
