MONTGOMERY COUNTY — A Montgomery County Grand Jury has declined to indict the 10 jail employees in connection with the in-custody death of Christian Black.
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Attorneys for the family of Black issued a statement on Wednesday.
“While we recognize that the grand jury’s decision is legally binding, the family is deeply disappointed by the outcome, and our legal team is troubled by these proceedings. However, we believe the absence of criminal charges does not mean there was no wrongdoing,” the statement said in part.
The family’s attorneys said they will prove medical negligence in civil court.
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As News Center 7 has previously reported, Black was arrested by Englewood Police after crashing a stolen car, jumping a fence, and trying to swim away from officers.
The sheriff’s office said he had repeated confrontations with corrections officers after being booked in the Montgomery County Jail.
They said he repeatedly banged his head against his cell door and again tried to fight staff, prompting them to tase and use pepper spray on him before putting him in a restraint chair.
Black lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital. He died two days later, on March 26.
His manner of death was ruled a homicide by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, which also determined that his cause of death was mechanical and positional asphyxia.
Ten jail employees were placed on leave, six of whom have since returned to work.
News Center 7 has reached out to the sheriff’s office for a statement as well as the employment status of the officers who remain on leave.
We will update this story if we receive a response or additional information.
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