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The family of a Decatur man who died earlier this year after being in custody at the Morgan County Jail has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Decatur Police Department and the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, alleging excessive force and lack of proper mental health care contributed to his death.
John "LG" Scott Jr. was arrested on April 15 following a call to his mother's home reporting that he was experiencing a mental health crisis. When Scott refused to enter an ambulance, Decatur police officers took him into custody.
According to the lawsuit filed by Scott's mother, Scott was not provided mental health care upon arriving at the jail. Instead, the documents allege he was brutalized by officers and deputies while in custody. Lee Merritt, the lead attorney representing Scott's family, said law enforcement should have been trained to de-escalate the situation, especially given that it involved a mental health crisis.
"He suffered some mental health consequences of his time on the field — CTE is a real thing that impacts so many people in Alabama and so many people in our community. And when individuals like that come into contact with law enforcement, it should not be a death penalty," Merritt said. "Law enforcement needs to be trained to deal with people in crisis so they can get them the help, not help them to death. This is a real tragedy for this community and we're no longer gonna leave it within the confines of the Black community — this is a city tragedy."
Scott had previously played football, and Merritt said the repeated physical impact may have contributed to long-term brain effects.
The lawsuit alleges Scott was transported to a hospital after showing visible signs of a medical emergency, but before this, corrections officers and law enforcement personnel kicked, punched, tased, and placed a hood over his head. He later died at the hospital.Â
Merritt said the family is pushing for systemic change by requesting "extraordinary relief," asking the city and the courts to revise policies and procedures to prevent future incidents of this nature. The lawsuit is ongoing, as is the investigation into Scott's death, which is being conducted by the Madison County Sheriff's Office and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
