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Report says officers didn't use excessive force in death of Duval County jail inmate

A report from the State Attorney's Office concluded that law enforcement didn't use excessive force in Daniel Christian Taylor's 2021 death.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The State Attorney's Office released a report investigating the death of Duval County Jail inmate, Daniel Christian Taylor Thursday.

The report said Taylor, who was 33-years-old, died from a heart attack in August of 2021 after an altercation with guards at the jail. Although one medical examiner ruled his death a homicide, another determined it was an accident. That's due in part to the "cocktail of drugs," the report said, found in Taylor's system that the second medical examiner said the first didn't consider.

The report said the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office sought a second opinion from the medical examiner from the 10th Judicial Circuit because the first medical examiner's opinion was inconsistent with the District IV Medical Examiner's conclusions in other similarly situated in-custody deaths. 

Taylor was arrested on a trespassing charge. He was supposed to be released that same day for time served. The report said when officers told Taylor to go to a temporary holding cell before his release, he refused. 

Taylor and an officer exchanged words. When Taylor did start to go up to the second floor cell, the officer ran after him and a physical struggle ensued, the report said. 

Other officers responded and Taylor continued to resist and fight, the report said. Fire rescue was called and injected Taylor with the sedative Ketamine to subdue him, according to the report. 

He went into cardiac arrest and died a week later. The report said at five feet five inches tall and about 140 pounds, Taylor fought more than 10 officers for more than 30 minutes. A first responder said Taylor was the most combative patient he had seen in his career. 

The report said the Ketamine was not found to be a contributing factor in Taylor's death. It also said no officers deployed their tasers or used pepper spray during the struggle with Taylor, and "there was no inappropriate or excessive force used against Taylor."

An inmate who witnessed the fight said Taylor asked guards why he hadn't been released despite making bond. He also said Taylor asked why he couldn't leave. The inmate said Taylor was screaming for help during the altercation. 

Taylor's family said he was a son and a brother who loved animals, music and spending time with his friends. 

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