Prison Video Shows Inmate's Death Struggle

Video footage from March 2018, showing the death of inmate J'Allen Jones, has been released following a legal battle. Jones, 31, was experiencing a mental health crisis at Garner Correctional Institution when correctional officers attempted to move him to a medical unit.

During the process, officers struck Jones multiple times, placed a spit bag over his head, and used pepper spray. He was subsequently handcuffed and shackled, with video capturing officers restraining him forcefully.

Jones reportedly began having difficulty breathing after the spit bag and pepper spray were administered. Life-saving measures, including CPR, were initiated approximately 28 minutes into the footage, with an ambulance arriving over 15 minutes later.

While an initial statement from the Department of Correction suggested Jones became non-compliant and then non-responsive, the medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. This was due to "sudden death during struggle and restraint with chest compression and pepper spray exposure."

An internal investigation found no excessive force but noted policy violations by nine staff members for not recognizing Jones' medical distress for over seven minutes. These individuals received one-day suspensions without pay.

The release of the video was advocated for by Jones' family and civil liberties groups, seeking transparency and potential reforms in the prison system, particularly concerning racial bias and mental health treatment.