JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – News4JAX on Friday obtained videos and photos from the Fourth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office as part of the investigation into the death of Daniel Taylor, who died following an altercation with corrections officers.
The I-TEAM on Thursday learned those officers are not being charged. Some of the videos and photos released today are too graphic to publish, but in total, they reveal some of Taylor’s final moments and the aftermath of that altercation.
This video shows Taylor, 30, handcuffed and walking with an officer on his way to be booked at the Duval County jail in August 2021. He is seen standing handcuffed for several minutes.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Taylor was accused of trespassing at the Omni Hotel and arrested on a misdemeanor charge. According to the Sheriff’s Office, he went to his first court appearance and was scheduled to be released the but was told he had to return to his cell to wait for the discharge process.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, Taylor refused to return to his cell and corrections officers became involved in a struggle that quickly escalated, with Taylor fighting multiple officers more than 30 minutes. JSO says one of the officers was bitten, and the State Attorney’s Office said Taylor repeatedly banged his head on the ground, causing a bloody cut to his forehead.
The State Attorney’s Office said that the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department arrived to take Taylor the hospital, giving him ketamine to sedate him, as they say he was still combative.
In what appears to be the same parking garage where Taylor was seen waiting to be booked, he is seen being loaded into an ambulance.
Video below shows when Taylor arrived for booking & when JFRD was later called to assist.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, Taylor stopped resisting after being given the ketamine. Shortly afterward, he lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest. Taylor died a week later.
That investigative report from the State Attorney’s Office shows several drugs were found in Taylor’s system, with toxicology testing indicating Taylor took the drugs while he was at the jail.
The SAO states in their report: “In light of these conflicting medical opinions, and the facts that 1) there was no inappropriate use of force by any of the correctional staff and 2) the ketamine was not a contributory cause of death, we will take no further action in this matter.”
With the criminal investigation over, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will now begin its internal investigation.