Federal judge rules jail staff didnโt violate Gregory Edwardsโ rights in 2018 jail death
A federal judge has dismissed portions of a lawsuit against Sheriff Wayne Ivey and others in the 2018 death of U.S. Army combat veteran Gregory Edwards in the Brevard County jail, tossing out claims that the force used to subdue Edwards violated his constitutional rights, according to our News 6 partners at Florida Today.
Gregory Edwardsโ widow arrested; facing charges in sonโs drowning death, prosecutors say
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ Kathleen Edwards โ the widow of Gregory Edwards โ was arrested on Wednesday in Volusia County, following the death of her 18-month-old son last July. Edwardsโ son, Gregory Edwards Jr., died on July 2, 2020, days after he was pulled from the familyโs pool at their home in Grant on June 27, 2020, records show. According to prosecutors, the Brevard County Sheriffโs Office conducted a months-long investigation into the childโs death. The man, a combat veteran, later got into a confrontation with deputies while at the Brevard County Jail. The manโs family filed a civil suit in December 2020 against the West Melbourne police officers who arrested Gregory Edwards and the City of West Melbourne seeking punitive damages for his death.
Gregory Edwardsโ family sues West Melbourne officers who arrested combat veteran before his death
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ The family of Gregory Edwards filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking punitive damages against the West Melbourne police officers who arrested the combat veteran leading up to his death in the Brevard County Jail. The City of West Melbourne is also listed as a defendant in the civil suit. Edwards was arrested a day earlier by West Melbourne police outside a retail store for allegedly assaulting a charity worker. The lawsuit lists Edwardsโ episode as a serious medical emergency requiring immediate treatment that he did not receive under the care of authorities. Edwards later got into a confrontation with deputies while at the Brevard County Jail.
โHe was dead on that jail floor:โ Gregory Edwardsโ brother reacts to release of arrest video
But it was not the first time Douglas had seen the jail security footage, or at least, some it. Ivey refused to release the security video showing what happened to Edwards, citing security exemptions to the stateโs public records laws. The video Ivey showed him was at most 20 minutes long and focused on the altercation up until Edwards was placed in the restraint chair, Douglas said. โWe actually showed it to Greg Edwards' brother. In fact, I think he was upset at his brother (Edwards), for, for what he had just witnessed from it,โ Ivey said.
Video shows Gregory Edwards' confrontation with Brevard deputies before his death
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ Nearly two years after his death in custody, the public is getting a look at what happened to Gregory Edwards after he was taken to the Brevard County Jail Complex. Video showing Edwards in a confrontation with deputies at the jail was released Friday as the result of a lawsuit filed by News 6 partner Florida Today. Florida Today has provided its analysis on the video, which you can read by clicking or tapping here. All due to the fact that each of these agencies failed to support the inaccurate representations and narrative as reported by the Florida Today. Sheriff Wayne Ivey Posted by Brevard County Sheriff's Office, Florida (Official) on Thursday, November 12, 2020The Brevard County Sheriffโs Office has also posted an edited video that includes narration from Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
Raw video shows Gregory Edwards' confrontation with Brevard deputies before his death
Raw video shows Gregory Edwards' confrontation with Brevard deputies before his deathPublished: November 14, 2020, 12:23 pmNearly two years after his death in custody, the public is getting a look at what happened to Gregory Edwards after he was taken to the Brevard County Jail Complex.
Brevard Sheriffโs Office changed restraint chair, spit hood policy after vetโs death
Both Qaiser and the Sheriffโs Office criminal investigation have dismissed the spit hood having any role in Edwardโs death. The policy change also now requires deputies to fill out use-of-force reports when spit hoods are deployed. You change it immediately.โBedard said the policy change was almost certainly a result of Edwards' death. It became public only after FLORIDA TODAY brought its lawsuit against the sheriffโs office to release the video. Attorney Birk said the sheriffโs office had no reason to fear making the amendment public would be evidence of wrongdoing.
US Army veteran died in custody after his arrest. Brevard Jail video shows what happened
They did not follow policy that demanded โcontinuousโ monitoring of him once he was strapped in the restraint chair, which can restrict breathing and circulation. In December 2018, Gregory Edwards, a combat veteran with PTSD, was found unresponsive in his jail cell after a fight with deputies. But the jail video tells a story that is not so straight forward. Restraint and neglectPer restraint chair protocol, a deputy controls Edwards' head as he is secured into the chair. Richard Zimmerman, puts it over Edwards' head, but the pepper spray is never removed from Edwards' face.
Video of Gregory Edwards, veteran who died in custody at Brevard jail, to be released
VIERA, Fla. โ The Gregory Edwards video will be made public Friday. Edwards resisted being booked into the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes, leading to an altercation with at least seven deputies. The Sheriffโs Office said its release could endanger the safety of deputies and inmates at the jail. Florida Today filed a lawsuit against the Brevard County Sheriffโs Office in July seeking the video. The agreed-upon video will allow the public to see what happened to Edwards from the moment he entered the Brevard County Jail with only certain security features being redacted.
Judge signs order for release of Gregory Edwards video on Friday
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ The Gregory Edwards video will be made public, News 6 partner Florida Today reports. Edwards resisted being booked into the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes, leading to an altercation with at least seven deputies. The sheriffโs office said its release could endanger the safety of deputies and inmates at the jail. FLORIDA TODAY filed a lawsuit against the Brevard County Sheriffโs Office in July seeking the video. There are very compelling issues,โ Dugan said, emphasizing a needed balance between the publicโs right to the video and the sheriffโs security concerns.
Public could get to see Gregory Edwards jail video next week
Edwards died Dec. 10, 2018, while in the custody of the sheriffโs office. After failing to get the video through public records requests, FLORIDA TODAY filed a lawsuit against the Brevard County Sheriffโs Office in July seeking the video. The sheriffโs office again refused to release the video, citing security exemptions to the stateโs public records law, saying that the safety of deputies and inmates at the jail was at stake. โIโm at a loss for why thatโs unreasonable.โAttorney Jessica Travis, representing FLORIDA TODAY, expressed frustration at the requested delay. Edwards resisted being booked into the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes, leading to an altercation with at least seven deputies.
Brevard jail video of inmate death wonโt be released before Election Day
โThey are making a very reasonable argument that the public needs to know what happened at the jail,โ Brevard circuit court Judge David Dugan said Friday. Edwards was charged with hitting a charity Santa Claus at a West Melbourne Walmart on Dec. 9, 2018. The criminal defense lawyer and former public defender said he watch the video to see what Edwards said and what he did once inside the jail. โAnd then I would look at the response,โ Edmond said. The judge then has to approve the agreement before video can become public.
Brevard sheriff, Florida Today reach tentative agreement for release of Gregory Edwards video
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ Attorneys for the Brevard County sheriff and the Florida Today newspaper have reached a tentative agreement for the release of video from inside the Brevard Jail on the day a U.S. combat veteran died while in custody. Gregory Edwards died Dec. 10, 2018, while at the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes. In July, the newspaper sued the Sheriffโs Office for the videoโs release. On Friday, the newspaper and the sheriffโs office attorneys reached a tentative agreement for the release of the video. Outside the hearing Friday, people carried signs and posters calling for the Sheriffโs Office to release the video.
Judge pushes Brevard sheriff, Florida Today to resolve Gregory Edwards video lawsuit
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ Days before a scheduled civil trial pitting Florida Today against the Brevard County Sheriffโs Office over the release of the Gregory Edwards jail video, Circuit Judge David Dugan continued the case while pushing both sides toward resolving the matter, reports News 6 partner Florida Today. In delaying the trial, Dugan said he hoped that both sides could come to an agreement. [RELATED: Billboards honor combat veteran Gregory Edwards who died in Brevard custody]Gregory Edwards, a U.S. combat veteran, died Dec. 10, 2018, while in the custody of the sheriffโs office. Attorney Jessica Travis, representing FLORIDA TODAY, accused the sheriffโs office of dragging its feet. Iveyโs refusal to release the video and the subsequent lawsuit is the latest friction in FLORIDA TODAYโS relationship with the sheriff.
Billboards honor combat veteran Gregory Edwards who died in Brevard custody
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ Drivers in Brevard County may have noticed billboards around town with the name Gregory Edwards. Edwards was a combat army veteran who died while in law enforcement custody in December 2018. โHeโs got diagnosed PTSD issues.โJail booking centerBut when Edwards made it to the Brevard County jail, the situation unraveled. โWe need to improve what weโre doing to take care of people with PTSD,โ Smith said. Our news partners at Florida Today are suing the Brevard County Sheriffโs Office to have the video released to the public.
Criminal defense attorney on why heโs running for Brevard County sheriff
For the first time in eight years, Brevard County will cast their vote for sheriff. Sheriff Wayne Ivey, who was first elected in 2012, is facing a Democratic challenger this year after running unopposed in 2016. Alton Edmond, a criminal defense attorney, explained why he decided to run for sheriff on โThe Weekly on ClickOrlando.com with Justin Warmoth.โ โAs a public figure itโs important to understand who you answer to and who your bosses are, and those bosses are the taxpayers of Brevard County,โ Edmond said. The incident was caught on jail surveillance, but Sheriff Ivey has not made it public after several requests from the community. โAs sheriff, I will release the Gregory Edwards video,โ Edmond said.
FDLE overview says Brevard investigation into Gregory Edwards death was โcomplete and thoroughโ
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ A month-long Florida Department of Law Enforcement review of the Brevard County Sheriffโs in-house investigation into the death of combat veteran Gregory Lloyd Edwards in 2018 was โcomplete and thorough,โ the agency concluded this week. He then resisted being booked at the Brevard County Jail and ended up in a fight with a deputy. What we did wasnโt an investigation but just a review of (the sheriffโs) investigation,โ FDLE spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger told FLORIDA TODAY on Sunday. The FDLE agent reviewed the video at the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, where the clips remain. [READ: Report: 1-year-old son of Gregory Edwards pronounced dead | Sheriff Ivey makes โuncomfortableโ surprise visit to the widow of Gregory Edwards]The findings of FDLE's overview was not a surprise, said some community leaders who have been following the Edwards case.
Report: 18-month-old son of Gregory Edwards found in pool, taken to hospital
Kathleen Edwards, widow of Gregory Edwards, and her mother called 911 after finding the son, about 18 months old, and pulling him from the pool at the familyโs house in Grant, a friend at the scene said. Brevard County Sheriff's Office Cpl. The houseโs driveway was roped off as a crime scene so the sheriffโs office could investigate, which Jennings said was the sheriff officeโs usual procedure for drownings. He said the sheriffโs office had to obtain a search warrant to go inside the house because Edwards did not want law enforcement inside. Gregory Edwards was arrested for assaulting a charity worker in what Kathleen Edwards said was a post-traumatic stress disorder episode, then declared dead after a confrontation with deputies at the jail.
What to expect from the FDLE review of Gregory Edwardsโ death investigation
โWeโll be reviewing the investigative records and all video the sheriffโs office has on the case. But what exactly does a review entail and what will the FDLE be looking for when going over the sheriff's investigation that was wrapped up last year? Sheriff Ivey last week, offered Edwards widow, Kathleen Edwards, a chance to view the footage along with another person. Kathleen Edwards appealed to the Governor's Office and the FDLE several times to re-investigate the case. The legal difference this time around, according to FLDE spokeswoman Plessinger, is that the invitation was made by the Sheriff's Office, and that the agency is reviewing the case itself.
New video is latest twist in saga of Sheriff Ivey, Brevard combat veteranโs widow
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. โ New video emerged Tuesday showing details of Brevard Sheriff Wayne Iveyโs unannounced Sunday night visit to the Grant-Valkaria home of the widow of U.S. Army veteran Gregory Edwards, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. I know thereโs been a lot of turmoil and everything else as a result of all this,โ Ivey told her. Ivey then told Edwards that he and his men had come because he was afraid for her. Margarita Bonilla (left), the mother-in-law of Gregory Edwards, holds a sign at a demonstration in Melbourne on Thursday night. In the interview with the Orlando TV station, the sheriff said he believed Edwards' death was being used for political reasons.
Sheriff Ivey makes โuncomfortableโ surprise visit to the widow of Gregory Edwards
The announcement was made by Sheriff Wayne Ivey at a Friday morning press conference. The surprise visit left Kathleen Edwards, a combat veteran who has post-traumatic stress disorder, rattled emotionally, and describing it as "uncomfortable," "intimidating," and "shocking." [READ: West Melbourne officer receives threats after edited arrest video goes viral, memo says | Defense seeks release of jail video involving Gregory Edwards and corrections deputies]"He hugged me and recorded it. Margarita Bonilla (left), the mother-in-law of Gregory Edwards, holds a sign at a demonstration in Melbourne on Thursday night. Ivey told Edwards that he could show her the video and lay out the case for her and one other person.
Defense seeks release of jail video involving Gregory Edwards and corrections deputies
Members of a criminal defense attorney organization, along with the Brevard County Public Defender are calling for Sheriff Wayne Ivey to release a jail video showing a violent confrontation between Gregory Edwards and corrections deputies, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. Thereโs really nothing stopping the sheriff from releasing the video,โ Wagner told Florida Today. It just seems that the only reason (the sheriff) is objecting to its release is that it is Gregory Edwards,โ Wagner said. Sheriff Ivey said during a press conference that Edwards fought like a 'caged animal' with corrections deputies on the day he was brought to the jail. Sheriff Ivey moved however to keep the video out of the public eye, despite the case being closed.
Attorney, community leader Alton Edmond announces intention to run for Brevard sheriff
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. Criminal defense attorney Alton Edmond one of the organizers of a justice rally that drew over 3,000 people to the Space Coast last weekend announced Tuesday his intention to challenge Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, according to News 6 partner Florida Today. The position pays more than $162,000 a year and oversees operations at the Brevard County Jail Complex, courthouse security, animal services and Port Canaveral. The trial lawyer founded Edmond Law in 2017, representing defendants and businesses. Edmond was released from the office which then had three minority attorneys after controversy over him wearing a Black Lives Matter tie. Edmond is expected to publicly announce his run for the Sheriffs Office later this week.