Charles Faggart death: Inmate dies days after 'incident' in Florida jail; 9 officers suspended | FOX 35 Orlando
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Charles Faggart death: Inmate dies days after 'incident' in Florida jail; 9 officers suspended

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Published  April 10, 2025 5:54pm EDT
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • 8 Jacksonville County Sheriff's Office corrections officers and 1 sergeant have been suspended after an inmate was mortally wounded while incarcerated.
    • Charles Faggart suffered critical injuries following an "incident" at the jail, JSO said. He died days later, his family's attorney said.
    • JSO Sheriff T.K. Waters has asked the FBI to assist in the investigation. Few details about how Charles was injured have not been released.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Florida man has died days after an "incident" at the Duval County Jail in Jacksonville left him with grave injuries, prompting the suspension of nine Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) corrections employees and questions about what happened.

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters this week asked the FBI to assist with the investigation.

What happened to Charles Faggart?

The backstory:

Charles Faggart was arrested on April 1, 2025, after getting into a physical argument with his pregnant girlfriend, according to the arrest warrant. 

The girlfriend told officers that Faggart was drunk and threatened to "shoot her," among other statements, which she reportedly recorded on her cell phone and showed to the officers, the report said. 

Faggart was arrested nearby on charges of simple assault/domestic violence and criminal mischief, online records show. Due to the domestic threats made in the video, he was taken into custody without incident. However, he was unable to make his initial appearance due to being intoxicated, court records stated.

What happened on April 7?

What we know:

The Jacksonville County Sheriff's Office said an "incident" happened at the Duval County Jail, where Faggart was housed, that required him to be taken to the hospital. 

Sheriff T.K. Waters held a news conference earlier this week, according to local media reports. He declined to provide specifics about what happened inside the jail that led to Faggart's injuries, citing the ongoing investigation.

A judge reduced Faggart's bond amount days later, reportedly to allow his family to see him at the hospital.

Attorney Belkis Plata, of Plata Schott Law, has been retained to represent the family of Mr. Faggart.

In a statement issued on Thursday to FOX 35 Orlando, Plata said Charles Faggart was considered brain-dead on Monday, April 7, and died on Thursday, April 10. She and the family are demanding answers about what happened.

Jacksonville County Sheriff: "Transparency is the foundation of public trust"

What they're saying:

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said in a statement that "transparency is the foundation of public trust" and that he has asked the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for assistance with the investigation into what happened at the Duval County Jail.

"Transparency is the foundation of public trust. The public's confidence in the integrity of the April 7th critical incident investigation and in our agency's commitment to transparency is of paramount concern to me. In that spirit, I spoke with leadership at the Jacksonville Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. Today, I formally requested the investigative assistance of the FBI to work cooperatively with our detectives concerning the incident that recently occurred in the Duval County Jail. This remains an active criminal investigation, and there is no additional information that I can provide at this time about the facts and circumstances of this critical incident. We will provide our federal partners with all the information they need to conduct their investigation" - Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters.

FOX 35 has reached out to the FBI to confirm whether the agency will agree to be part of the investigation. 

Lawyer: Charles' family demanding transparency about what happened

What they're saying:

"The family of Charles Faggart is heartbroken, devastated, overwhelmed with shock and pleading for answers after their son was murdered by members of the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office while in their custody at the Duval County Jail," the family said in a statement, through their attorney.

"Despite Sheriff T.K. Waters' public statements yesterday claiming transparency and outreach, neither he, his detectives, nor anyone from his office has provided this family with any information about what happened to their son. Not a phone call. Not a meeting. Not an explanation."

"Today, at 2:11 p.m., Charles Faggart was pronounced deceased. But Charles has been brain dead since Monday."

The family said he was a son, brother, friend, and that he was loved.

"We know there is video. We know there are witnesses. We know there are answers. And we are demanding them."

GoFundMe created

The family has created a GoFundMe account to help cover funeral and burial expenses. 

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:

The Source: The Jacksonville County Sheriff's Office released a statement to FOX 35 on Thursday, April 10, 2025, as well as posted on JSO's social media handles. Attorney Belkis Plata, of Plata Schott Law, who represents Charles Faggart's family, also released a statement to FOX 35 Orlando on April 10, 2025.

FloridaCrime and Public Safety