MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Following a week-long hospitalization after being arrested by Alabama police, where he was tased and physically assaulted, a Black man named John Scott Jr. has died. The specific cause of Scott’s death, or its connection to his arrest, remains unknown at this time.
This tragic event has stirred renewed anger in Decatur, a city in northern Alabama, where racial tensions are already high due to the ongoing trial of a white officer accused of murdering a Black individual in 2023. The police’s official statement did not release information regarding the identities or ethnicities of the officers involved in Scott’s arrest.
Rodney Gordon, president of the NAACP’s local branch, accentuated the community’s frustrations by stating, “Here we go again. We predicted this outcome after the events that led to Steve Perkins’ death. Changing the police chief did little to alter the persistent problems because the same personnel are still in place.” This comment refers to the recent resignation of the Decatur police chief.
Interim Police Chief Nadis Carlisle has urged for both state and federal investigations into the incident, requesting public patience during the probe. Scott encountered legal issues on April 15, when his mother, concerned about his mental wellbeing, contacted law enforcement, fearing he had ceased taking his medication and was experiencing a crisis. Earlier the same day, officers, alongside a mental health liaison, had determined Scott posed no immediate threat.
Body camera footage released by the police department shows Scott’s interaction with the police before his arrest. As five officers encouraged him to seek medical assistance and enter an ambulance, Scott appeared confused and physically distressed, though he maintained a cordial demeanor by shaking hands and thanking the officers.
Legal complications arose due to Scott’s existing warrant for failing to appear in court over a prior speeding ticket. In the video, tension escalates when Scott, panicking as officers attempt to arrest him, pleaded, “Hold on. We all in this together. I might get hurt, sir,” before officers used physical force.
The video depicts the officers resorting to punches and Tasers after Scott falls, resisting arrest. Amidst his cries of “I’m sorry” and complaints of breathing difficulty as an officer knelt on him, officers placed a hood over his head as he appeared to spit at them.
Approximately an hour post-arrest, Scott exhibited medical distress while at the county jail and was subsequently hospitalized for a week. He succumbed to his conditions on Tuesday, a death announced simultaneously by both his mother and the police.
Before his passing, there was speculation by the police that Scott’s hospitalization was due to “excited delirium,” a diagnosis long disputed by medical experts and organizations. The city of Decatur, with a population of about 60,000, has been a site of protests, especially following the fatal shooting of Steve Perkins by a former police officer. The murder trial of the officer continues, drawing crowds of supporters for both sides.