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State Lawmakers Ask DOJ to Investigate Spike in Jacksonville Jail Deaths

The Jail sentence

Photo: lindsay_imagery / iStock / Getty Images

(Jacksonville, Fla.) -- Some Jacksonville lawmakers are investigating the reason for the skyrocketing death rate in the Duval County jail.

State Rep. Angie Nixon and State Senator Tracie Davis sent a letter yesterday to the U.S. Justice Department asking why deaths have tripled since 2017.

In fact, heart transplant recipient, Dexter Barry, 54, recently died after jail staff allegedly failed to provide his anti-rejection medication while he was behind bars for two days. He was charged with a misdemeanor for a dispute with his neighbor over Wi-Fi.

The City of Jacksonville replaced its in-house medical care in October 2017 with a for-profit company, Armor.

There were two deaths in the jail in 2017 and then the first year under Armor, there were 9. That increased rate has continued.


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