Nine deputies were fired for their role in the death of a Black college student in Savannah, Ga. on New Year’s Day. Matthew Ajibade was found motionless inside an isolation cell after he was arrested by police for a domestic disturbance incident.
The announcement came last Friday from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, this after an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found evidence connecting the grouping of officers to Ajibade’s death. The probe’s findings have been delivered to the county prosecutor, and criminal charges may come later. The 21-year-old Ajibade hailed from Nigeria, and the family’s attorney says he suffered from bipolar issues.
Ajibade was jailed on January 1 for domestic violence, battery, and resisting arrest. According to a CNN report, authorities said Ajibade became violent when they arrived. He was allegedly restrained with handcuffs then tasered.
The Sheriff’s Office has not made any countering statements at the moment but did release that there were departmental changes made in the months since. The new changes focus directly on the use of stun guns.
The Ajibade family hired Mark O’Mara as their attorney. O’Mara represented George Zimmerman in his case regarding the Trayvon Martin shooting.
[h/t TheGrio]
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Photo: Twitter
