| VOLUSIA EXPOSED.COM |
|
|
OUR OPINION FDLE's "Review" Of The Gregory Edwards' In-Custody Death |
June 26, 2020 |
NO LEGAL OPINION, OR AUTHORITY, SHOULD BE INFERRED
|
According to a recent media article, which contains a video press release from Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, Ivey has requested that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) "review" his own office's (BCSO) investigation into the December 2018 in-custody jail death of U.S. combat veteran, Gregory Edwards.  Over a year and half has past since Sheriff Ivey opted to solely "self investigate" whether his deputies acted appropriately in their handling of Mr. Edwards. The recent (2020) Minneapolis PD's in-custody death of George Floyd, and it's blow back (riots & calls for police reform), has increased the public's demand, that Sheriff Ivey release the jail surveillance video that captured the Edwards' "use of force" incident. ClickOrlando.Com Police Chiefs, Public Defender & Defense Attorneys Support The Release Of The Edwards' Video In late 2019, FDLE attempted to conduct their own independent investigation into the events surrounding Mr. Edwards' arrest and jail booking. However, this independant investigation was quickly closed, because, FDLE has no authority to independently investigate in-custody deaths, without the invitation of the law enforcement agency attached to the death. In short, FDLE could not independently investigate whether Edwards was murdered, without first obtaining permission to do so, from the suspected murderers themselves (WTF?). And some still insist that we don't need police reform. DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL Agencies Should Not Be Able To Self Investigate In Custody Deaths As evidenced within the BCSO investigative report, BCSO deputies applied a great deal of physical force (knee spikes, taser hits, chemical agent, etc) against Mr. Edwards - causing Mr. Edwards to be sent to a local hospital, where he died the next day.  Edwards In Hospital, With Family, Shortly Before His Death The local medical examiner (M.E.) ruled Mr. Edwards death as an "accident" - while another Florida M.E. (Dr. Nelson) stated that Edwards' death was more consistent of being a homicide. The local M.E. (Dr. Qaiser) has a disciplinary history of fudging another autopsy finding. SOME OF VOLUSIAEXPOSED.COM's PAST ARTICLES ON THIS SUBJECT May 19, 2020 The Untimely Deaths Of Two Black Males September 25, 2019 A Recipe For Homicide August 12, 2019 Murdered By The BCSO ============ The problem with FDLE's pending "review" is just that, it's only a review, and NOT their own independent criminal investigation into Mr. Edwards' death. If it was ever Sheriff Ivey's intention to have transparency within the Edwards' investigation, he would have insisted that FDLE conduct their OWN independent investigation back in December 2018. Allowing FDLE to conduct their own investigation (not a review) is not a new concept to Sheriff Ivey. In 2016, Ivey insisted, for transparency purposes, that FDLE conduct the entire investigation (not merely a "review"), regarding the Deputy Yousef Hafza shooting incident. On Father's day 2016, Deputy Hafza, while off duty, shot and killed Clarence Howard. Upon FDLE completing their independent investigation, they (FDLE) arrested Deputy Hafza for the murder of Mr. Howard. Hafza murder trial is still pending within the local circuit court. Sheriff Ivey needs to do like he did in the Deputy Hafza incident - grant FDLE the authority to conduct their own independent criminal investigation, and stop using FDLE as his political lap dog? "Cases involving a member of your own agency are best facilitated with complete transparency that ensures public trust while also protecting the integrity of the investigation," said Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey. "As such, from the very beginning of the incident, I asked FDLE to conduct an independent investigation and present their findings to the State Attorney's Office for a full review of the facts. Following their review, the State Attorney authorized an arrest warrant, which resulted in Yousef Hafza being charged today by FDLE.” ~ Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey |
 Gregory Lloyd Edwards Click Here To Read PDF Version 
EXAMPLES OF OTHER FLORIDA JAILS RELEASING THEIR VIDEOS Jail Surveillance Video Jacksonville Sheriff Deputy Fired & Arrested For Punching Handcuffed Woman PASCO Sheriff's Office Jail Video - Alleged Excessive Use Of Force HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY JAIL Inmate Assaults Jail Officer Caught On Jail's Surveillance Video HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY JAIL Inmate Save Jail Officer From Attack Caught On Jail's Surveillance Video VOLUSIA COUNTY JAIL Inmate Attacks Jail Nurse Jail Officers Secure Inmate FLAGLER COUNTY JAIL Inmates Prevent Jail Suicide Caught On Jail Surveillance Video |
Sheriff Ivey has refused to release the Edwards jail surveillance video, detailing the physical confrontation between several of his deputies and Mr. Edwards.
Sheriff Ivey has been claiming a statutory exemption (F.S. 281.301 - click to review), stating that releasing the video could jeopardize the security of the jail, and the safety of his staff.
Only recently (June 2020), after picking up a last minute political opponent for the pending election, has Sheriff Ivey seen his way clear of offering Edwards' widow a chance to view the video.
Apparently, with his retention to office no longer being automatic, and having to front a political campaign, into the wind goes any security concerns Sheriff Ivey has in allowing the widow, and her attorney to view the video.
It's clear to us, that Ivey's refusal to release the surveillance video is NOT driven by honest security concerns, but rather is a personal, and political decision. We now must wonder, whether the FDLE "review" is also politically motivated - by Ivey, and possibly from the governor's mansion, using FDLE as a proxy?
June 12, 2020
Defense Seeks Release Of Jail Video Involving Gregory Edwards And Corrections Deputies
The Internet is full of Florida jail surveillance videos (see upper right of page -->). These videos depict everything from officers being fired, and arrested, for excessive use of force - to inmates attacking, or saving officers from attack, - to inmates preventing a jail suicide. Regardless, of what these surveillance videos depict, they all have something in common..... transparency. Something Sheriff Ivey states he has, but in reality, doesn't.
These other Florida jail surveillance videos (see upper right of page) provide clear evidence that Sheriff Ivey could legally release the Edwards video. So, the question is - why hasn't he? We (VolusiaExposed.Com) suspect that he has chosen not to release the video, because he knows it would cause a public push back. Ivey is aware that the video would not support his M.E.'s conclusion that Edwards' death was an "accident". The release of the video may cause riots in the streets of Brevard County, BCSO patrol cars may burn in those streets - and none of this helps in securing his re-election.
It's the OPINION of this publication, that Sheriff Ivey is hiding "something" within the local medical examiner's questionable autopsy report, which concluded that Edwards' death was merely an "accident". Local State Attorney Phil Archer has blostered Ivey's refusal to release the surveillance, by rubber stamping the "accidental" death conclusion.
This publication, join many others within the community, in offering our OPINION, that Sheriff Ivey must release the jail surveillance video. We suspect that neither the Edwards family, or the public, will gain any solace in the release of a FDLE "review" report.
In our "OPINION", FDLE should have refused to become Ivey's political lap dog. FDLE should have insisted on either conducting an independent investigation - or nothing at all. Why? The answer can be found in the Georgia, Ahmaud Arbery shooting investigation. Local law enforcement, and the district attorney failed to properly investigated the murder of Mr. Arbery. Both justice, and peace, were found in the Georgia State Police's (G.B.I) independent investigation. It is doubtful, that a mere FDLE "review" can provide the same assurances, that justice and peace are still viable commodities within the Edwards case.
Because of the in-custody deaths of Edwards, Floyd, and shamefully so many others, American law enforcement is currently under-going a complete paradigm shift. The public's faith in law enforcement is no longer an assumed fact. In the Edwards' matter, it is apparent, that the sheriff and medical examiner, in concert with the state attorney, failed to uphold their oaths, and are being judged accordingly by the citizens of Brevard County. FDLE will soon find itself being judged by that very same policially charged public.
The public has become accustomed to "video" being a very useful tool, in determining whether law enforcement officers have crossed the line of enforcing the law, into to breaking the law. Plus, Florida jails have had a long, and documented history of releasing these videos. So without the Edwards video, we, the public, are left to wonder whether Edwards cried out for his mother, or stated, that he could not breathe, as his soul was slowly and painfully extracted from his body. Absent the video, the public may never know whether Brevard deputies placed Edwards in their authorized "vascular neck restraint" - very much like what was used by Minneapolis PD to murder George Floyd.
WFTV
June 1, 2020
One Local Law Enforcement Agency (BCSO) Trains Deputies To Use ‘Vascular Neck Restraints
Since it is just a matter of time, before the national media latches on to the Edwards incident, FDLE and Governor DeSantis may wish to be ahead of this curve. Florida officials may wish to follow the lead of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, in his (Polis) ordering for a complete re-examination of what his state can do to re-investigate the in-custody death of Elijad McClain.
If law enforcement officials can not secure the public's confidence - then justice must be sought in the Courts. It may be time, to approach the Courts, and request that they order Ivey to release the video for "good cause" - as defined within the very same law Ivey is using in denying release of the video. Florida case law may favor a "good cause" release of the video.
Lady justice may be blind, but she is far from stupid, and she will prevail, whether she triumphs through the efforts of this FDLE "review", or in the courts, .... at the ballot box, or on the streets, ... is yet to be determined.
So stand by to stand by ....... there is surely more to come of this......and the ride only getting bumpier from here on out.....
The Doobie Brothers
Taking It To The Streets (1976)
Drop us a line to let us know what you think.
EMAIL US