The family of Jovontay Williams, who died in 2022 while in the custody of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), is seeking justice through a wrongful death lawsuit. The suit names the city of Charlotte and four officers—Timothy Abramo, Zavon Joseph, Brenton Thomas, and Jacob Grigg—as defendants, alleging excessive force that led to Williams' demise. According to information provided by WCNC, the lawsuit centers on an incident that occurred when police were responding to reports of a shooting, and claim Williams exhibited erratic behavior and appeared to be in medical distress at the time.
The complaint, filed in federal court, specifically accuses the officers of restraining Williams in a prone position for an extended period. This occured despite his stated difficulties in breathing. "I'm about to die," Williams allegedly expressed, as recorded by body-worn camera footage which CMPD released under court order in February 2023, as MyFOX8 reported. Despite these cries, one officer reportedly responded, "Yes, you can," furthering the family's claim of negligence. The lawsuit goes on to challenge previous investigative findings that cleared the officers involved of any wrongdoing, presenting the family-commissioned autopsy which concluded Williams died from "restraint asphyxia/positional asphyxia."
In the aftermath of Williams' death, CMPD has revised their policies, now requiring repositioned subjects immediately and continuous airway monitoring following such incidents. Despite the revision, the family argues the city is liable because its policies at the time authorized the techniques that led to Williams' death. "This was not a sudden overdose or unforeseeable tragedy. It was a preventable, restraint-induced homicide," states the lawsuit, information confirmed by WBTV. The report also included that MEDIC took about 22 minutes to respond to the scene after constables had called for medical support following the arrest.
While CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings once backed his officers, claiming they had acted appropriately, the case is raising questions anew. "I am confident that our officers performed their duties appropriately regarding the treatment of Mr. Williams," Jennings stated, as per WCNC reporting, yet the footage and family's private autopsy tell a divergent story.
