A new video has been released showing some of the graphic details of the final moments of Sgt James Brown’s life. The active-duty Army Sergeant reported to the El Paso County Jail for a two-day DWI sentence back in July 2012.
The incident sparked a very publicized public outrage as Brown’s harrowing cry of “I Can’t Breathe” became a rally of support and protest everywhere.
However, the mystery behind Sgt James Brown’s death does not become any clearer with the release of this video.
After one night in the county jail, Brown called his mother to ask her to pay the fine so he did not have to remain in custody any longer. She paid the fine the following morning, but it was too late. Brown did not make it through the night.
It was reported that Brown suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from his two tours he served in Iraq. That may have attributed to his difficulty of being in prison and perhaps led to his late-night rampage in his cell. Unfortunately, we don’t know what caused Brown to become so upset that he started throwing himself against the cell door repeatedly and to the point where he began to bleed.
It’s unclear where the bleeding was coming from, but one report stated blood was coming from his ears, nose and mouth.
After Brown calmed down, became quiet and unresponsive to questions, a riot team entered the cell to restrain Brown. Brown did not seem to resist or put up any sort of fight. I can understand the concern and precautions after seeing Brown’s rampage, but upon seeing his demeanor and cries of “I can’t breathe,” better care and judgment should have been made to make sure care was given. Or at the very least, considered.
This video does not change any of the results of the investigation and does not provide very many answers to the mystery of James Brown’s treatment or his mental state-of-being. However, Brown’s mother is happy for the release of this video and states:
“I pray that new laws protecting soldiers in custody will be implemented, that the military adopt new policy procedures in regards to their soldiers being held in custody by an outside agency. If these changes can be made and our soldiers are protected, and another family never has to experience what my family has, then my son’s death would not been in vain.”
