SAVANNAH, Ga. — Surveillance video from a Georgia jail shows an inmate being punched and kicked in a fight with deputies, then being left alone in restraints for an hour and a half before jailers found him dead.
Jurors watched the video Wednesday and Thursday during the trial of three former jail employees charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of 21-year-old Mathew Ajibade, according to multiple news outlets, some of which also posted portions of the video online.
Authorities have said Ajibade was found dead strapped to a restraint chair at the Savannah jail hours after his arrest on a domestic violence charge Jan. 1.
Prosecutors say Cpl. Jason Kenny shocked the restrained Ajibade four times with a Taser. Cpl. Maxine Evans and nurse Gregory Brown are accused of failing to check Ajibade’s condition and faking jail records to make it appear checks had been made.
The jail video shows a fight breaking out as deputies tried to book Ajibade. Two deputies were injured and Ajibade snatched a Taser before he was punched in the face twice and kicked by jailers trying to bring him under control.