Police accountability and transparency were the main concerns of advocates who protested outside the Duval County Jail early Sunday afternoon. The demonstration was one of several demanding justice for Charles Faggart. Protestors simultaneously honored the life of George Floyd on the fifth anniversary of his death at the hands of police.
Among those in attendance was Faggart’s mother, Tracy Karpas, who said she is frustrated with the lack of information surrounding her son’s death.
“I’m just tired. I have been fighting for almost 2 months,” Karpas said.
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Karpas explained that she has not received a direct answer from city officials about the investigation into her son’s death.
“I’ve been speaking for almost 2 months, and still, I haven’t heard T.K. Waters’ office. Donna Deegan sent a 10-word statement to the news and never said a word to us,” she said.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters responded to the case earlier in the week.
“We’re still working the jail case and I do want to say this...I do want to say that when I came out and made the moves that we made, it wasn’t to say that anyone was guilty. It was to say that we need to investigate this process. We need to investigate it fully and make sure that we provide the public and that young man’s family with the right answers,” Sheriff Waters said.
Nearly 100 people gathered on the steps of the jail, chanting “No racist police” and “Transparency now — we won’t back down” as they called for change to policing not just in Jacksonville, but nationwide.
The Jacksonville Community Action Committee led the protest, holding signs that read “End police brutality” and “No one is above the law — justice for Charlie.”
“Our opinion is there needs to be a resolution, and this family needs to have some answers,” said advocate Michael Sampson.
Faggart died days after an April 7th incident inside the jail. That incident led to nine Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office corrections officers being stripped of their authority.
Protesters are calling for the termination and prosecution of the officers involved, increased transparency, and civilian oversight of in-custody deaths.
“I think officers who are involved need to be held accountable to the furthest end of the law. There needs to be some type of mechanism for the people of this city to have some oversight or some ability, on how policing is done in our city.”
Action News Jax has also been seeking answers from the sheriff’s office about Faggart’s death for over a month.
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