>> FROM THE LOCAL STATION NEWSFOURJAX. >> THE FAMILY OF THIS MAN,
JOSHUA SWAN, SAYS HE WAS FOUND
DEAD INSIDE THE CLAY COUNTY
JAIL. THE STATE’S DEATH WAS A
RESULT OF NEGLECT AND ABUSE
WHILE HE WAS LOCKED UP. DOT ON
MARCH. THE 16TH, SOME 39 DAYS
AFTER HIS ARREST AND NOW HIS
SISTER IS SUING THE COUNTY.
THE SHERIFF.
>> AND FOR DEPUTIES IN A
WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT NEWS 4
JAX REPORTER MARILYN PARKER
JOINS US LIVE. MARYLAND SWAN
FAMILY IS ASKING FOR 5 MILLION
DOLLARS IN DAMAGES.
>> YES, THESE ATTORNEYS SAY
THIS WAS AN EGREGIOUS CRIME OF
ABUSE AND NEGLECT. THEY SAY
JOSHUA SWANN HAD BEEN JAILED
BEFORE AND WAS GIVEN
MEDICATION LIKE HE WAS
SUPPOSED TO. BUT THAT DIDN’T
HAPPEN. THEY SAY AT THE CLAY
COUNTY JAIL, THIS ENDED IN
TRAGEDY AND THEY WANT TO
EXPOSE SOME OF THE BAD
BEHAVIOR THAT THEY’VE ALREADY
KNOW ABOUT.
>> DEVASTATED. TIM THE BEACH
AT STAKE.
>> HEATHER SWAN HOLDS BACK
TEARS SITTING NEXT TO HER
ATTORNEYS. SHE’S DESCRIBING
THE MOMENT SHE LEARNED HER
YOUNGER BROTHER. JOSHUA, WAS
FOUND DEAD IN A CELL AT THE
CLAY COUNTY JAIL. ANYBODY THAT
HAS ANY TYPE OF MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES.
>> TREATING THEM THAT WAY LIKE
THEY ARE NOT EVEN DOING THIS
IN 3RD WORLD COUNTRIES IN
JANUARY, JOSHUA VOLUNTARILY,
BAKER ACTS HIMSELF AND GOES TO
THE ORANGE PARK MEDICAL
CENTER, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
FLOOR FOR MOST OF HIS ADULT
LIFE. HE’S BEEN ON MEDICATION
FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA. HE WAS
NEVER A VIOLENT PERSON. HE WAS
NEVER. COMBATIVE. IF ANYTHING,
HE WOULD TRY TO A SITUATION
OUT OF FEAR. AND HE KNEW THAT
HE WAS STARTING TO HAVE AN
EPISODE SO SHE NEEDED TO GET
HIS MEDICATION UP. ACCORDING
TO HIS ARREST REPORT, SWAN
PUNCHED ANOTHER PATIENT IN THE
HEAD BEFORE THE FIGHTS
SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASED. BUT
NURSING STAFF MEDICATED HIM
BECAUSE HE WAS AGITATED
INSTEAD OF KEEPING HIM IN THE
HOSPITAL IN TREATING HIM. HE
WAS ARRESTED AND THE REPORT
SAYS HE SHOULD BE PLACED ON
SUICIDE. WATCH AT THE JAIL.
HIS SISTER TRIED CALLING THE
JAIL REPEATEDLY TRYING TO TELL
THEM HER BROTHER NEEDED HIS
MEDICATION BUT NEVER GOT A
CALL BACK. 39 DAYS AFTER HIS
ARREST SWANS FOUND DEAD IN HIS
CELL. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE
FDLE TELLS HIS SISTER THEY
ASKED IF HE WAS EVER SUICIDAL
AND SAID THEY DIDN’T HAVE
INFORMATION ON WHAT HAPPENED.
IT JUST WASN’T SITTING RIGHT
WITH ME. THEN SHE STARTED
HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE
IN JAIL AT THE SAME TIME AS
HER BROTHER, QUITE A FEW OTHER
PEOPLE REACHED OUT AND
CONTACTED ME AND THEY WERE
LIKE, NO, THEY WERE BEATING.
>> MY BROTHER, THE LAWSUIT
AGAINST CLAY COUNTY, THE
SHERIFF AND 4 DEPUTIES
CONTENDS THEY NEWS ONE HAD
SCHIZOPHRENIA. THEY DENIED HIM
MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND
MEDICATION, FOOD AND WATER
REFUSED TO GIVE HIM CARE WHEN
HE ASKED FOR HELP. THERE WERE
MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF PHYSICAL
AND MENTAL ABUSE AND THEY FEEL
THE JAIL IS COVERING IT UP AS
HIM BEING OUT PATIENTS. SO
TELL ME WHAT IS YOUR FOR?
>> THAT THIS HAPPENED.
>> THERE’S LOTS OF WITNESSES
TO ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS AND
THERE’S AN EYEWITNESS TO THE
KILLING. SO IN TERMS OF
CREDIBILITY AND NONE OF THESE
PEOPLE HAVE ANYTHING GAME AND
THEY HAVE EVERYTHING TO LOSE.
THE BIG IRONY THAT I’VE SEEN
THAT REALLY JUST BURNS ME IS,
YOU KNOW, THE INMATES ARE FAR
MORE ETHICAL THAN THE
OFFICERS. HER ATTORNEYS SAY
THIS IS A CASE OF ABUSE AND
NEGLECT.
>> THEY REMIND US PEOPLE WHO
ARE JAILED ARE PRESUMED
INNOCENT AND HAVEN’T BEEN
CONVICTED. NO ONE SHOULD BE
ARRESTED FOR MISDEMEANOR
CRIME.
>> HEALTHY PHYSICAL STATE AND
39 DAYS LATER, THE DEBT AND
ISOLATED WANT HOPES WITH THIS
LAWSUIT COUNTY JAILS WILL PUT
IN PLACE BETTER PROCEDURES FOR
INMATES WITH MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES TO KNOW THAT.
>> THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE STILL
WORKING WITH OTHER INMATES.
IT’S
>> APPALLING.
>> THE ATTORNEYS WILL SERVE
THE COUNTY WITH THE LAWSUIT IN
THE NEXT 7 TO 10 DAYS, THEY
SAY WILL BE A LONG PROCESS.
BUT IT’S A MARATHON. THEY
INTEND TO SEE THROUGH
REPORTING LIVE IN DOWNTOWN