The family of Akeem Terrell, a 31-year-old man who died while restrained in a Phoenix jail cell, has been awarded a $4.05 million settlement by Maricopa County officials. The decision comes nearly four years after Terrell’s death, which occurred while he was in custody and experiencing a mental health crisis.
Lawsuit Details Unreasonable Force Allegations
In a federal civil rights lawsuit, Terrell’s family alleged that law enforcement officers used unreasonable force during his arrest on New Year’s Day in 2021. Terrell, who was reportedly in the midst of a psychotic episode, had refused to leave a party, prompting his detention by Phoenix police.
The lawsuit described a scene in which up to seven officers restrained Terrell in a jail isolation cell to change his handcuffs. Body camera footage reportedly showed the officers leaving the cell with Terrell motionless and face down on the floor. The suit claimed there was a delay in summoning medical assistance, and Terrell was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Terrell, who was 6-foot-2 and weighed 433 pounds, had a history of mental illness and was reportedly expressing paranoid thoughts prior to his arrest.
Settlements Approved by City and County
Maricopa County’s Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve the $4.05 million settlement for Terrell’s family. This follows an earlier decision in September by the Phoenix City Council, which approved an $800,000 settlement related to the involvement of its police officers in Terrell’s death.
Family’s Response and Case Impact
Jesse Showalter, the attorney representing Terrell’s family, highlighted the lack of timely medical intervention in the case. The settlements come as part of ongoing scrutiny of law enforcement practices, particularly in cases involving individuals experiencing mental health crises.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, responsible for overseeing the jail, has not yet commented on the case.
The settlements underscore the financial and human cost of inadequate responses to mental health emergencies, prompting calls for improved training and resources for law enforcement to better handle such situations.
