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New report sheds light on inmate’s death at Duval County jail

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Details into the death of an inmate at the Duval County jail are coming to light through a report from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.

Daniel Taylor was being released from jail when he got in a fight with correctional officers. Paramedics were called to the scene, but within an hour, Taylor was unconscious. He would never wake up.

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Taylor was being released from jail for misdemeanor trespassing when he got in a fight with 12 correctional officers. His family wants the report from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, but it has not been released. They did get, however, the JFRD report.

According to the JFRD report, about 30 minutes after the fight started, paramedics arrived and gave Taylor 400 milligrams of ketamine, a powerful tranquilizer, to subdue him.

Within seven minutes, Taylor was unresponsive. When he arrived at the hospital, he had little brain function. His family took him off life support a week later. His sister Noel Taylor told us how hard it was putting those moments together.

“Reading too some of the details in there. It was very surprising. They grossly overestimated his weight.”

Read: Family asks for answers after man dies after fight with corrections officers in Duval Co. Jail

His weight factors into the ketamine dosage. The report estimated he weighed 220 pounds; family says that’s off by nearly 50 pounds. Action News Jax spoke to a doctor who works in emergency medicine, Andrew Schmidt, who says too much ketamine will just prolong the effect, so there were likely other factors.

“I’m not talking about this patient in particular, but any other drugs or intoxicants on board, any use of excessive restraint, any positioning of restraint on the person or any physiological or metabolic or medical problems the patient might have,” Schmidt said.

The medical examiner’s report has not been released yet, but Taylor’s autopsy lists the manner of death as a “homicide following a violent altercation.” His family hopes reviewing his death changes standards.

Read: Jacksonville home health aide employee arrested, accused of withholding services from disabled adult

“I would want... the community to hold its public servants to a higher standard. Whether instances like this happen out of negligence, poor protocols or inadequate training, there definitely needs to be accountability and expectations that those serving the community are properly trained and using the best practices,” Noel Taylor said.

The family also wants the state to reevaluate protocols and standards when it comes to the use of ketamine. However, Schmidt, the doctor Action News Jax spoke to, says he considers it a relatively safe drug. The Taylor family is awaiting a decision from the State Attorney’s Office.

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