The Knoxville Police Department has made public body-camera footage connected to the April 7 death of a man during a narcotics-related search warrant execution at The Ammons apartment complex, according to a post on the department's official website. The video captures the events leading up to 57-year-old James Lee Dickens being detained and his subsequent distress that ended in death at a local hospital.

Details emerging from a Knoxville Police Department release note how the Special Operations Squad, aiding the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), entered the apartment at approximately 9:20 p.m. They secured the area and detained several individuals, with Dickens among them. Scant minutes later, at around 9:43 p.m., the man reported feeling unwell, prompting officers to call for medical aid.

Following the call for help, Knoxville Fire Department personnel arrived on scene within nine minutes, and Dickens was swiftly transported to the UT Medical Center by AMR where, for reasons yet unclear, his condition took a turn, leading to his untimely demise. The body-cam footage, which is continuous and captures the scene from when officers first entered the apartment until after medical staff took over Dickens' care, shows no use of force during the detainment and no initial signs of protocol violation by KPD officers, all of whom remain on their regular duties.

The inquiry into this incident is currently underway, spearheaded by both the TBI's Criminal Investigation Division and the KPD's Office of Professional Standards. As per department policy, this incident's video was prepared for public dissemination as a means to transparently communicate with the community and provide context to a the critical incident. The department emphasized that the release is part of a process to inform the public promptly, aligning with obligations to District Attorney General Charme Allen and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.