Dion Watts
A Richmond man died earlier this month after an incident involving officers at the Madison County Detention Center sent him to the hospital, and the NAACP is calling for a thorough investigation.
Dion Watts, 42, a father of six, died at the University of Kentucky Medical Center on Jan. 6, according to his obituary.
The next day, the Richmond-Madison County branch of the NAACP issued a statement saying he died “after sustaining serious injuries while in the custody of the Madison County Detention Center.”
A police uniform citation filed in Madison District Court by an officer with the Richmond Police Department says Watts suffered a broken ankle and was taken to UK Hospital after an “altercation” involving officers at the detention center at 12:19 a.m. on Jan. 2.
According to the subpoena, a Richmond police officer, R. Haddix, was leaving the jail when a deputy jailer said Watts needed to speak with Haddix.
Haddix told Watts they would talk after the officer retrieved some items from the police car.
As Haddix opened the door to return to the jail, Haddix wrote in the citation that “Watts started screaming and closed the door.”
Because Watts was holding the door shut, Haddix said detention center staff opened a nearby garage door, and as the door opened, the officer saw Watts and Deputy Jailer Mark Murphy “in a physical altercation against the wall.”
Haddix wrote that “Murphy took Watts to the ground.”
“Once Murphy and Watts were on the ground, I began to help Murphy gain control of Watts, who was physically resisting both of us,” Haddix wrote in the citation.
“During the altercation,” Haddix wrote, “Watts attempted to take several items from my service vest.”
Haddix said Watts also pulled his arms away from the officers and tried to “tuck them under his body.”
“During the altercation, I landed several knee strikes to the back of Watts and heel strikes to the face in an attempt to gain control,” Haddix wrote.
Several other officers soon arrived “and assisted in handcuffing and restraining Watts,” Haddix wrote.
The citation lists six body-worn cameras at the scene.
In addition to Watts’ broken ankle, Haddix suffered a cut to his left ring finger and Murphy suffered a cut to his right hand, the citation states.
“Dion Watts was cited and released to the University of Kentucky Hospital due to medical treatment for a broken ankle and other medical reasons,” the citation states.
Watts was charged Jan. 2 with resisting arrest and two counts of third-degree assault on a police or probation officer, according to court records.
The NAACP said in its statement Watts “had a documented history of mental illness.”
The statement said he “suffered injuries from a physical incident while in the Detention Center and later succumbed to those injuries. Any death resulting from injuries sustained in custody raises serious concerns about the use of force, the duty of care owed to people in custody and the treatment of those with mental health needs.”
“The NAACP is calling for a thorough, independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident, including the actions of the officers involved, the use-of-force protocols used, and the timeliness and adequacy of medical and mental health care provided.
“The NAACP Richmond–Madison County Branch stands with the family as they seek answers, accountability and justice.”
None of the documents reviewed by the Herald-Leader indicate Watts’ cause of death.
WKYT reported that Madison County Jailer Larry Brock told the station that “there is no evidence to suggest that Mr. Watts was beaten or subjected to any form of abuse during the incident.”
Before the altercation, Brock said, Watts appeared to be suffering from paranoia and suggested he believed the officers intended to hurt him. Brock told the television station that prison staff tried to defuse the situation, but Watts was uncooperative.
Brock told the station that an internal review of the incident is underway.
Richmond Mayor Robert Blythe said in a statement to Fox 56 on Friday that Kentucky State Police are investigating the circumstances of Watts’ death and “any action taken by the city will be guided by the findings of the investigation.”
Blythe told the television station: “Our community is mourning the loss of a family member and a friend.”
Court records say Watts was arrested at 11:19 p.m. on Dec. 31 and charged with third-degree criminal trespass after staff at the Redi Mart on Second Street in Richmond called police to report they had closed the store and Watts refused to leave.
A Richmond Police Department officer wrote in a police uniform citation filed in that case that Watts was asked to leave several times, and the officer offered Watts a ride to a friend’s house or elsewhere, but Watts said he had nowhere to go and “stated he preferred to go to jail.”
Madison County District Court records show he was released the next day, Jan. 1. One document shows the release time as 11:40 p.m. The trial in that case was scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 20, which would have been Watts’ 43rd birthday.