JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An inmate who was in critical condition after a Monday incident in the Duval County Jail has died, according to the attorney representing his family.
Belkis Plata released a statement on Thursday afternoon stating that Charles Faggart was pronounced dead at 2:11 p.m.
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“But Charles has been brain dead since Monday,” Plata said in the statement.
Action News Jax told you Wednesday when Plata released a statement identifying Faggart as the inmate to whom Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters was referring when he spoke at a Tuesday news conference about an inmate injured in the Duval County Jail.
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On Wednesday, Waters said he asked the FBI to investigate the incident, which led to the suspension of eight corrections officers and one corrections sergeant.
Plata said Faggart’s family is “pleading” for answers and asked the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office “to give them the dignity of knowing the truth before they bury their child.”
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Below is Plata’s full statement:
“The family of Charles Faggart is heartbroken, devastated, overwhelmed with shock and pleading for answers after their son was murdered by members of the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office while in their custody at the Duval County Jail.
“This horrific incident occurred on Monday, April 7, 2025, inside the Duval County Jail. The family was not notified until Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
“Despite Sheriff T.K. Waters’ public statements yesterday claiming transparency and outreach, neither he, his detectives, nor anyone from his office has provided this family with any information about what happened to their son. Not a phone call. Not a meeting. Not an explanation.
“Today, at 2:11 p.m., Charles Faggart was pronounced deceased. But Charles has been brain dead since Monday.
“This family has a right to know what happened to their son — under Florida law, under Marsy’s Law, and under any sense of human decency. Even if Sheriff Waters refuses to share that information publicly, he owes this family the truth privately.
“Charles Faggart was a son. A father. A brother. A friend. He was loved. He mattered. And now he is gone — murdered by those sworn to protect.
“We know there is video. We know there are witnesses. We know there are answers. And we are demanding them.
“This family will not rest until they know what happened to Charles. We intend to hold every individual involved in this tragedy accountable — both in the criminal justice system and in the civil courts.
“We continue to call on the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to do what is right — to show this family mercy — and to give them the dignity of knowing the truth before they bury their child.
“The family would like to sincerely thank everyone who has reached out, prayed for them, and offered their love and support during this unimaginable time. Every message, every prayer, and every act of kindness has reminded them that they are not alone in their grief.
“The family has created a GoFundMe account to assist with funeral and burial expenses. No family prepares for this type of tragedy. Any contribution from the community is deeply appreciated. GoFundMe: https://rb.gy/513m0d"
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office released the following statement on Thursday evening:
“Detectives continue to work diligently to gain a complete understanding of the facts and circumstances that led to the brain death of Charles Faggart after the April 7th incident at the Duval County Jail. This is an active, dynamic investigation that requires, amongst other things, the opinion of the Office of the Medical Examiner. JSO will conduct a thorough, complete, and comprehensive investigation in this case, as it does in every death investigation. Detectives have and will continue to remain in communication with the family through its attorney.
“Transparency is a priority for JSO. However, that priority does not supersede the agency’s commitment to maintain the integrity of criminal investigations. Once Sheriff Waters has answers, he will provide those answers to the Faggart family. Once the criminal case is completed, Sheriff Waters will share the details of this death investigation publicly.
“As Sheriff Waters previously stated, the eight corrections officers and corrections sergeant have been stripped of their authority pending the criminal and, subsequent, administrative investigations.”
Below are more statements from local government officials and advocacy groups.
Statement from Mayor Donna Deegan:
“My heart goes out to the Faggart family. We’ll be closely monitoring the investigation to understand what led to this tragic situation.”
Statement from City Council President Randy White:
“Sheriff Waters has been very transparent his whole time in office and he will continue to be and I have full confidence in him and when the investigation is complete, he will do the right thing.”
Statement from City Councilmember Jimmy Peluso:
“I’m glad the sheriff is asking for federal investigators to assist with this unnecessary death, and to suspend the officers. He’s wise to do it. But we as policymakers need to ask the question, “did this man need to be in this jail for so long? Could we have changed or altered our policies so that a man didn’t have to die in our overcrowded jail?” JSO has a large responsibility in this City, and I hate to see there being another tragedy in that jail.”
Statement from City Councilmember Matt Carlucci:
“I like how The Sheriff handled this tragedy, however makes it harder to spend a billion dollars for a new pre trial detention center a.k.a. jail”
Statement from Kelly Frazier, President of the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville:
“The Duval County jail was ‘an incident away from a federal court order’ according to the Chief Judge of Florida’s 4th Circuit, Lance Day, and now it appears we have that incident. The FBI will investigate and the US Department of Justice should be next. The officers responsible must be held accountable, along with the Sheriff who has mismanaged the jail. The taxpayers of Jacksonville again will surely be paying out millions in a settlement due to JSO’s actions. I reiterate that we must not only improve conditions in the jail and prevent further deaths, but also reduce the need for people to be in jail in the first place.”
Statement from Jacksonville Community Action Committee:
“The Jacksonville Community Action Committee sends sincere condolences to the family and friends of Charles Faggart, a brother, son and father, who lost his life at the hands of nine officers of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). On Thursday at 2:11 p.m.Faggart was pronounced deceased. According to his family’s lawyer, he had been brain dead since Monday, one full day before Sheriff T.K. Waters informed the public or took action against the correctional officers involved. The Sheriff has yet to release the names of the officers involved yet requested the FBI be involved in the investigation.
“The Jacksonville Community Action Committee condemns the actions of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and its correctional officers that led to Faggart’s death. The JCAC supports calls from the family for full transparency from the Sheriff and JSO. The JCAC demands the release of the names of the officers involved along with any video footage of the incident. All officers involved in Mr. Faggart’s death must be fired, indicted and convicted.
“This isn’t the first time the Duval County Jail and its treatment of inmates by correctional officers have been subject to widespread scrutiny. In 2024, JSO Correctional Officer Jordan Weiss was arrested on a felony charge for assaulting an inmate with pepper spray. In the same year, former Correctional Officer Kobe Collett and others were charged with multiple felony counts for a drug ring in the jail. This is in addition to widespread dissatisfaction toward Sheriff T.K. Waters’ mismanagement of the jail and the subpar medical services for Duval County Jail inmates. Negligence of JSO leadership has left the jail unsafe in more ways than one - all clearly outlined in City Council’s proposal not for systematic overhaul of policies and practices in the current jail, but for building a new jail.
“The JCAC continues to demand civilian oversight and a Public Safety Committee. The community deserves a seat at the table when it comes to JSO policies regarding officer misconduct and mismanagement of the jail. The JCAC continues to demand that $1 billion dollars in taxpayer funds does not go to building and maintaining a new jail. These funds should be allocated towards repairing the current jail and reinvesting in our community, which would reduce the jail population in the long-term.
“It is clear that nobody is safe at the Duval County Jail under JSO and Sheriff T.K. Waters. Leaving the fox to guard the hen house has only led to disastrous results for our city. Action must be taken now. Ensuring public safety is not just the Sheriff’s responsibility, it is also the responsibility of every single elected official in Jacksonville.”
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