Seven Detention Officers Fired After Marvin Scott’s Death In Jail

Several Collin County officers who were involved in the death of an inmate Marvin Scott have been fired.

According to CNN, the seven detention officers were terminated on Thursday (April 1) after Marvin D. Scott III died in police custody last month. An eighth officer resigned as he was being investigated.

“Although the Texas Rangers’ comprehensive criminal investigation into the death of Marvin D. Scott, III continues, I have today terminated the employment of seven detention officers involved in his tragic death and have been notified of the resignation of an eighth officer who was under investigation,” Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner said in a statement.

“Evidence I have seen confirms that these detention officers violated well-established Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures. Everyone in Collin County deserves safe and fair treatment, including those in custody at our jail. I will not tolerate less.”

The officers involved were not identified, and the report did not indicate which policies or procedures were violated.

Authorities say Allen, T.X. police responded to a disturbance call at a local outlet when they encountered Scott III — who happened to be sitting next to a rolled cannabis joint — allegedly acting erratically, according to The Dallas Morning News.

“Concerned for his safety due to the possible ingestion of drugs,” the police called for help from the Allen Fire Department, who brought him to a local hospital.

Scott stayed in the emergency room for nearly three hours before he was discharged.

Nick Bristow, Collin County Sheriff’s Office public information officer, said Scott was then arrested and taken to the Collin County Jail for possession of less than two ounces of marijuana.

The report states detention officers attempted to restrain him and strap him to a bed, but allege Scott continued to resist, prompting them to use pepper spray and put him in a spit hood.

Scott eventually became unresponsive and was taken to a local medical center where he was prounounced dead.

Prominent civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, who is representing Scott’s family, says his client’s arrest was inappropriate and he was suffering a mental health crisis.

Merrit told NBC 5 that Scott was diagnosed with schizophrenia, was taking medications and had not experienced an episode related to his mental illness for at least a year.

In previous encounters with law enforcement, he was taken to facilities to receive treatment, instead of being incarcerated, Merritt said.

“There was ample time to evaluate him to understand this was someone in crisis who needed help and they chose not to provide help, they chose to use force instead and as a result a valuable member of this family is gone,” Merritt told the news station.