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IN OUR OPINION - BASED ON THE EVIDENCE The Brevard County Sheriff's Office Is Responsible For The 2018 In-Custody Death Of U.S. Combat Veteran Gregory L. Edwards Lawsuits Are Available For Review |
December 10, 2020 |
NO LEGAL OPINION, OR AUTHORITY, SHOULD BE INFERRED
With It's Pants On!
England Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on".
This publication offers our OPINION that Brevard County (FL) Sheriff Wayne Ivey has effectively "pantsed" a large portion of the Brevard public with his lies regarding the 2018 in-custody death of combat medic Gregory Edwards. We (VolusiaExposed.Com), with our pants on (with facts and evidence), present for your review - what we believe to be the truth regarding Edwards' death.
RELATED ARTICLE
SPACECOASTDAILY.COM
November 13, 2020
Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey Discusses Media Integrity, Releases Gregory Edwards Video.
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Sheriff Wayne Ivey Is Lying (Watch video - right of page --->) VolusiaExposed.Com has been reporting on the December 10, 2018 in-custody death of U.S. combat medic Gregory Edwards for two (2) years now. Several of our past articles have been incorporated within this article, and we encourage you to review them for a better appreciation of the facts and the events surrounding Edwards' death within the Brevard County (FL) jail. VOLUSIAEXPOSED.COM RELATED ARTICLE ON SUBJECT August 12, 2019 Murdered By The BCSO The In-Custody Death Of Gregory Edwards ============ There is one constant within all of our articles - that constant is - Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has lied, and is continuing to provide false narratives regarding Mr. Edwards' death. None of this should come as a surprise to anyone that knows the real Sheriff Ivey - he can front a lie, with the best of them (liars). THE GUARDIAN September 8, 2018 Sheriffs who cheered Trump's attack on press have their own media run-ins . ============  |
Sheriff Ivey's Narrated Version Of The Jail Surveillance Video
Notice towards the end of the ABOVE video (1hr 4 minutes 55 seconds video mark) - how Ivey speeds up the video when his deputies, and other arriving first responders are providing Edwards emergency medical treatment (CPR, etc). FloridaToday's More In-Depth Version Of The Jail Video
Notice in the above video - as Edwards is taken from the booking area - to the medical area (a nearly six minute trip 1hr:29 minutes - 1hr:35 minutes video markers) - Edwards is being CASUALLY escorted by deputies - in the restraint chair, while the two nurses walk far in front, pushing an empty stretcher (1 hr 30 minutes video mark). Does that equate to emergency medical treatment / care? Sheriff Ivey is aware that he has a problem with his staff's rather casual approach to Edwards' medical treatment - and in our OPINION that is why he speeds through this in his narrated version (see top right of page). |
Regardless of Sheriff Ivey statements in the media - Ivey did not voluntarily release the jail surveillance video that is connected to Edwards' two hour incarceration. Nor, was it necessary for a circuit court judge to approve the release of the video.
The video was released because FloridaToday.Com, a local Brevard newspaper sued Ivey to release the video. Ivey ended the lawsuit by agreeing to release a redacted version of the video - something, truth be told, he could have done nearly two years ago - without the involvement of a circuit court judge.
FloridaToday.Com is to be congratulated for standing up to Sheriff Ivey - demanding that he publicly release the jail surveillance video.
VolusiaExposed.Com attended most, if not all of the court hearings in FloridaToday's lawsuit against Sheriff Ivey. In support of the truth - that Sheriff Ivey fought hard to keep the video from public review - we have linked several of our earlier articles, which incorporate the courtroom audio / video of these court hearings (see below - most hearings were via ZOOM).
Don't assume that either Ivey, or this publication are presenting the truth - rather, watch and listen for yourself, review the documentation and jail surveillance video - and then form your own independent opinion.
ARTICLES ATTACHED THE FLORIDATODAY.COM V. SHERIFF IVEY COURT HEARINGS
AUGUST 7, 2020 COURT HEARING (AUDIO)
AUGUST 20, 2020 COURT HEARING (AUDIO)
OCTOBER 7, 2020 COURT HEARING (AUDIO)
OCTOBER 23, 2020 COURT HEARING (AUDIO)
OCTOBER 30, 2020 COURT HEARING (VIDEO)
NOVEMBER 6, 2020 COURT HEARING (AUDIO)
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IVEY FAILS TO TELL THE TRUTH,
THE WHOLE TRUTH,
AND NOTHING BE THE TRUTH.
DOCUMENTS, TESTIMONY, AND NOW VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE
Sheriff Ivey has made what he calls "the entire case file" publicly available on the sheriff's webpage. In addition to those records, VolusiaExposed.Com has provided you with the entire video / audio record of the court hearings - that were attached to the jail surveillance video lawsuit (see above web links). Further, we now provide you with the Dr. Bedard report (click here or see lower right of page).
Dr. Roy Bedard is a law enforcement expert - and he was brought in as an expert witness by FloridaToday, in their lawsuit against Ivey's refusal to release the jail surveillance video.
Sheriff Ivey actually praises Dr. Bedard's conclusion that the force used by the deputies against Edwards was not excessive force (see Ivey video - top right of this article). However, Ivey only cherry picks that particular conclusion from the Bedard report. Ivey does NOT provide the public with a copy of the Bedard report - why? Maybe because the Bedard report is very critical of how Edwards was handled AFTER the application of force (lack of timely and proper medical attention).
While Ivey pledges "transparency" - on his sheriff's webpage, he fails to provide the public with either the Bedard report, a report that he refers to - or the complete court record of the lawsuit that made the jail surveillance video available to the public. Why is that? The answer is simply this - Ivey doesn't wish to expose - the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth - he wishes the public to have ONLY his truth - which, truth be told, is nothing more than a LIE.
VolusiaExposed has reviewed the available evidence, and we found that the force used against Edwards was excessive. It was not the level of force that concerned us, but rather the type and manner of the force applied.
Our point being is that, in our OPINION, the use of the pepper spray was counter productive. Watch the video as Deputy Otto applies the pepper spray - it is clear that the deputies themselves are affected by the application of the spray (coughing, rubbing eyes, etc).
Pepper spray is both an eye and respiratory irritant. Without proper protective gear (gas masks) - the deputies would have been affected by these irritants - which in the end, lead to additional force being used - in order that the deputies could quickly, rather than properly secure Edwards - so that they could seek immediate medical attention for theselves.
We further forward the position - that Edwards' medical attention was delayed due to security staff having to seek their own medical attention.
In short, the application of pepper spray was itself excessive - because it escalated the situation - akin to using gasoline to put out a fire.
No honest law enforcement agency would ever delete or manipulate investigative evidence in a homicide investigation. Sadly however, it is the position of this publication, that Sheriff Ivey has done exactly that in regards to the Edwards' homicide investigation. (loss of physical evidence (spit mask), indicating that Edwards had engaged in drug usage - which forensic toxic reports fail to support, failure to note in both the criminal or administrative investigations, that two principle deputies were romantically involved, fast forwarding video presentation covering medical treatment of Edwards, false and conflicting narratives of the events, etc. - SEE SOME OF OUR EARLIER ARTICLES FOR FURTHER DETAILS / EXAMPLES)
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
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While Dr. Sajid Qaiser, the local medical examiner (ME) determined Edwards' death to be "accidental" - caused by a questionable medical event called "Excited Delirium", many see this medical diagnosis as junk science - used by law enforcement officials to justify police brutality. (see below linked Washington Post article)
WASHINGTON POST
July 17, 2020
Police keep using ‘excited delirium’ to justify brutality. It’s junk science.
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Disagree Over Edwards' Death
According to an Orlando based media article, Dr. Stephen Nelson, a more seasoned Florida medical examiner voiced the "OPINION" that Edwards' death was more consistent with being a "homicide" - than an "accident".
Ashley Taylor, RN - a jail nurse on duty during the Edwards incident - has also voiced her OPINION that Edwards' in-custody death was no accident.
We invite you to review the sheriff's webpage for any information referencing Dr. Qaiser's past disciplinary action, or Dr. Stephen Nelson's and Nurse Taylor's differing opinions, that Edwards' death was merely an "accident". We suspect you will find no references to this crucial information.
Singing From The Same Sheet Of Music
In media interviews, Sheriff Ivey is always quick to point out that the Florida Medical Examiner Commission (MEC) (note the FDLE Internet address) backed Dr. Qaiser's autopsy findings in the Edwards' death. However, what Ivey fails to point out - is that the MEC is a sub-branch of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
In our OPINION - FDLE did a very poor, and biased filled "review" of the BCSO's self-investigation into Edwards' in-custody death. Since the Florida Medical Examiner Commission (MEC) had already chimed in on Edwards' death - FDLE was under great pressure to "chime" the same tune.
Ivey realized that the MEC and FDLE had to sing from the same sheet of music - and knowing that the MEC had already "rubber stamped" M.E. Qaiser's conclusion that Edwards' death was "accidental" - Ivey had complete confidence that the FDLE "review" would sing that same tune (accidental death).
RELATED ARTICLE
VOLUSIAEXPOSED.COM
AUGUST 15, 2020
FDLE biased their "review" of the BCSO's Edwards' death investigation
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No "honest and transparent" law enforcement agency would even consider conducting a homicide investigation - in which their own officers or deputies were possible criminal suspects in the alleged homicide. Sheriff Ivey has even expressed this position - when in 2016, off duty Brevard County sheriff deputy Yousef Hafza shot and killed Clarence Howard.
"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.....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." ~ Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey, regarding Deputy Hafza's deadly shooting of Clarence Howard.
In 2016 - Sheriff Ivey was more than willing to allow the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to independently investigate the Hafza / Howard shooting investigation - even as Ivey was advising media outlets that he believed that Deputy Hafza had acted in self defense.
In the end, FDLE concluded that the Hafza / Howard encounter equated to a "road rage" incident - in which Deputy Hafza had murdered Howard.
As of December 2020 - the State of Florida continues to prosecute their homicide charge against former BCSO Deputy Hafza.
RELATED ARTICLE ON SUBJECT
December 5, 2017
State Prosecuters Questions Veracity Of Police In Deputy Hafza's Prosecution
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So why was Sheriff Ivey so hell bent in self investigating the 2018 Edwards homicide investigation?
Here is our theory / opinion.
Plain and simple - Ivey wanted to self-investigate - so that he could control the narrative of how Edwards died.
Ivey quickly understood that his deputies were responsible for Edwards' death. Whether that "understanding" attached to the use of excessive force, OR the lack of proper and immediate medical attention to Edwards*, OR both, is unknown to us.
Ivey knew, that as the "investigating agency" - he would control all of the evidence, to include the damning jail surveillance video.
Ivey knew he had a compliant medical examiner in his pocket, with an apparent history of fudging an autopsy determination.
Coupling the two - control of the autopsy report - and control of the evidence - Ivey took the bet that whatever narrative he forwarded regarding Edwards' demise would be accepted as factual by the majority of the public.
However, what Ivey could not see coming down the road in December 2018 - was the 2020 in-custody death of George Floyd. With the death of Floyd, under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer - the nation would start to question all in-custody deaths.
Ivey also could not have foreseen - another Florida medical examiner expressing that Edwards' death was more consistent with a homicide, than an accident. Or that a jail nurse on duty that fateful day - would state to the media, that Edwards' death was not an accident.
Ivey was surprised - when a local newspaper questioned his authority to hide from the public - the jail surveillance video that held the details to how Edwards met his demise. The newspaper sued the sheriff - and successfully secured the surveillance video.
However, Ivey is still betting - that his false narratives regarding Edwards' death - and his criticisms of the media, with particular attention given to Florida Today - will carry the day for him. Last month (November 2020) - these false narratives and criticisms were enough to secure his re-election. Lies, especially naked lies are usually done in - when the truth, with it's pants on - catches up to the lies.
Ivey's false narratives will soon be put to the test within state and federal courtrooms. The Edwards' family have secured the services of renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Crump has filed two lawsuits regarding Edwards' in-custody death. (review both lawsuits within below weblinks - additional information you will probably never find on the Sheriff's Office's web page)
Additional Information Regarding Edwards' In-Custody Death
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From almost Edwards' last breath, Sheriff Ivey has lied about his ability to publicly release the jail surveillance video. This video details the two hours Edwards was in the custody of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office (BSCO) - just prior to being medically transported to a local hospital - where Edwards was placed on a ventilator - and where he would die the next day. For two years now - Sheriff Ivey has insistently lied - that Florida Statutes bars him from publicly releasing the jail video - without first obtaining the permission of a judge. Ivey repeated this lie within his recent (November 13, 2020) self-narrated version of the jail video (see top right of page). Florida law (F.S 281.301 - see right of page -->) DOES allow Ivey to declare a public record exemption - IF the release of the surveillance video would place any security features of the jail at risk. The public record exemption is discretionary, and not mandated by law. If fact, it is not at all uncommon for Florida jails to routinely release these type of videos - without first obtaining judicial permission to do so (see lower right of page - of several video examples). Sheriff Ivey is flat out lying about him NOT having the independent authority to release the jail surveillance video. And let there be NO doubt that Sheriff Ivey's recent release of the jail video was directly in response to the July 2020 lawsuit filed by FloridaToday.Com which demanded the release of the video as a public record. RELATED FLORIDATODAY.COM ARTICLE
Did the Court authorize Sheriff Ivey to release the video?
NOVEMBER 13, 2020No. Sheriff Ivey had refused to release the video, saying it would reveal security features and put his staff and inmates at risk. FLORIDA TODAY had to sue for its release, and only after FLORIDA TODAY’s lawyers and a security expert redacted security features did Ivey agree to a settlement in lieu of going to trial. That settlement accepted by Judge David Dugan ordered the release of the redacted video. Every day since December 9, 2019—more than 700 days-- Ivey could have redacted and released the video without forcing the newspaper into litigation and without needing Court authorization. Sheriff Releases Jail Video ============ Of A Local Hero Sheriff Ivey released two versions of the Edwards jail surveillance video. One version is just over an hour long - with Sheriff Ivey providing a narrative explanation of Edwards' jail booking. This narrated version is available on the BCSO's social media sites. Buried deep within the official BCSO website - Ivey has also released a two hour long - non-narrated version of the video. This two hour version was prepared and redacted by FloridaToday's video editor. This publication suggests that both videos be reviewed. Why? Because we forward the OPINION, that the Devil can be found within the details of Sheriff Ivey's narrated version. Notice how the narrated version fast forwards through the medical attention Edwards was, or was NOT receiving. Notice the six (6) minute escort from the jail's booking area, to the jail's medical unit. Make note - whether the jail nurses are tending to Edwards' medical needs - OR are they more interested in pushing a empty medical stretchers? Do they (jail staff) appear to be in any rush - to ensure that Edwards has timely and proper medical care? Ask youself - was Edwards breathing during that six (6) minute escort? How long can a person hold their breath? Notice that jail staff did not even start CPR until they knew County Fire Service personnel were pending arrival. Afterall, got to make it look like we (BCSO) tried to save him - at least in front of the fire rescue staff - right? Obviously, the jail video supports that Edwards was involved in a physical confrontation with several jail deputies, ending with Edwards' emergency medical transport to a local hospital, where Edwards would die the very next day. However, the jail video supports much more than that - does it not? The video also shows us the level of medical care that Edwards received after his physical confrontation with jail staff, does it not? So stand by to stand by ....... there is surely more to come of this......and the ride is only getting bumpier from here on out.....  Gregory Lloyd Edwards REST IN PEACE MR. EDWARDS Drop us a line to let us know what you think.  EMAIL US |
 Florida Statutes =================================== Click Below To Review The COMPLETE Dr. Roy Bedard Report  =================================== 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 |