Broward County has a Black state attorney, public defender and sheriff, but its legal system still lacks adequate Black representation, according to one Black official. Many think the effort to recruit Black lawyers and law enforcement professionals must start at the grassroots level.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement won’t be taking over the investigation into the death of Broward inmate Kevin Desir after a confrontation at a Pompano Beach jail.
The family’s legal team filed an emergency request with the Broward court Monday for surveillance footage to be released immediately of the incident they believe lead to his death. NBC 6 also put in a request to see the video, but so far, the sheriff’s office has cited Florida law preventing its release, saying that it would reveal important security features inside the jail.
Kevin Desir s family told NBC 6 about the 43-year-old who loved to spend valuable time with his two young daughters. He s the first one to go off to college. He’s endured a lot, said Kevin s brother, Mikco Desir. Obviously, he s dealt with mental illness for 21-22 years, but he didn’t let that define him. He worked full time. He was an entrepreneur. “
Broward inmate dies a week after altercation with jail staff
Associated Press
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Officials say a mentally ill South Florida man is dead a week after an altercation with jail officers as he awaited trial on criminal mischief and marijuana possession charges.
Broward County Public Defender Gordon Weekes told the Miami Herald that 43-year-old Kevin Lavira Desir’s family removed him from life-support.
He died Wednesday.
Desir was arrested by Coral Springs police on Jan. 6 for damaging his neighbor’s car. A week later he was arrested for marijuana possession.
Weekes says jail staff pepper-sprayed Desir, used a stun gun and caused “a severe and irreversible brain injury.”