ALBANY, Ga. — New body camera footage is drawing attention to the moments before Jefferey Reeves died while in law enforcement custody in Dougherty County.
Reeves had told arresting deputies that he had ingested drugs and was not feeling well. Despite that warning, he was initially taken to the Dougherty County Jail rather than directly to a hospital.
The situation changed when deputies arrived at the jail. A jail officer questioned why Reeves had been brought there and indicated that he needed medical attention at a hospital.
Reeves was subsequently transported to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. During the trip, he lost consciousness in the back of a Sheriff’s Office vehicle. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
What happened before the hospital trip
The body camera footage shows Reeves telling officers that he had taken drugs and was not okay.
According to Sheriff Terron Hayes, the department’s protocol distinguishes between an arrestee reporting possible drug use and someone showing active signs of a medical emergency.
Hayes said people sometimes make claims about drug use that turn out to be exaggerated or untrue because they want to avoid being taken to jail. Under the department’s stated procedure, an arrestee who does not show obvious injuries or emergency symptoms may be taken to the jail for evaluation by medical personnel.
If an individual is showing active emergency symptoms, however, deputies are expected to divert the person to a hospital.
Hayes said the deputy’s observations of Reeves at the time of the arrest differed from what happened after they reached the jail. Reeves and the arresting deputy were also traveling in separate vehicles.
Jail nurse recommended hospital treatment
Once Reeves arrived at the jail, a nurse evaluated him and recommended that he be taken immediately to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital.
That decision led to another trip, this time from the jail to the hospital.
The footage shows that Reeves lost consciousness while being transported. He was pronounced dead after arriving at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital.
The circumstances have raised questions about how quickly the medical concerns were addressed after Reeves told deputies he had ingested drugs.
Sheriff says there was a delay
Hayes said the department’s protocol was followed but acknowledged there was a delay before Reeves was taken to the hospital.
According to Hayes, the deputy was waiting for a non-acceptance form to take with him during the hospital transport. Hayes described the delay as lasting a few minutes.
The sheriff also said the deputy faced disciplinary action following the incident.
The deputy was reprimanded over personal interactions and professionalism issues involving the jail’s intake sergeant. The deputy was also cited for neglect of duty.
Hayes said the neglect-of-duty finding reflected the possibility that the deputy could have taken Reeves to the hospital rather than becoming involved in personal interactions at the jail.
Questions remain after Reeves’ death
The body camera footage provides a clearer look at the sequence of events, but it also leaves questions about the decision-making between Reeves’ initial statement about drug ingestion, his arrival at the jail and his eventual trip to the hospital.
The sheriff’s office maintains that its protocol was followed based on the circumstances observed at the time, while the later medical assessment at the jail resulted in an immediate recommendation for hospital care.
Hayes expressed condolences to Reeves’ family and asked residents to continue trusting the sheriff’s office.
He also urged people to avoid situations involving illegal drug use that could put their health at risk and create dangerous circumstances for both civilians and law enforcement.
The circumstances surrounding Reeves’ death remain under scrutiny as questions continue about the medical response during his time in custody.
