Newly released video has revealed the dying moments of an
African-American active-duty soldier who checked himself into the El
Paso, Texas, county jail for a two-day sentence for driving under the
influence, and died while in custody in 2012. Authorities claimed Sgt.
James Brown died due to a pre-existing medical condition, but shocking
new video from inside the jail raises new questions about what happened.
The video shows guards swarming on top of him as he repeatedly says he
can’t breathe and appears not to resist. By the end of the video, he is
shown naked, not blinking or responding, his breathing shallow.
Attorneys say an ambulance was never called. Brown was eventually
brought to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His family had long
suspected foul play in his death but received little information from
authorities. They’ve now filed a lawsuit against El Paso County saying
his constitutional rights were violated. We are joined by Brown’s
mother, Dinetta Scott.
Transcript
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: We
begin today with a story about an Iraq War veteran who served two tours
in Iraq only to die in a county jail in El Paso, Texas. Sergeant James
Brown was just 26 years old when he mysteriously died in 2012 after he
reported to jail for a two-day sentence for driving while intoxicated.
Brown, who was African-American, was suffering from post-traumatic
stress disorder at the time. His family had long suspected foul play in
his death but received little information from authorities, who said he
died because of a pre-existing medical condition. Well, a local news
station, KFOX14, recently obtained video from inside the jail showing
Brown’s last moments.AMY GOODMAN: The video shows something happened which caused Brown to bleed in his cell. When he refuses to speak with guards, a team in riot gear storms in and swarms on top of him, while he repeatedly says he can’t breathe and appears not to resist. A warning to our audience: The following video is disturbing.
SGT. JAMES BROWN: I can’t breathe! Dude, I can’t breathe! Help me! Help me! Help! I can’t breathe! I’m choking on my blood! Help me! I’m choking on my blood! I’m choking on my blood! I’m choking on my blood!
