Family releases video showing final moments before Black man’s death in Missouri prison

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man who died aft he was placed successful a spit hood and restrained successful a Missouri situation was motionless for astir 10 minutes earlier a caregiver checked connected him, situation video released Tuesday shows.

Video of nan last nan moments earlier Othel Moore’s December 2023 decease shows nan Black 38-year-old heaving pinch a disguise covering his face, hands restrained down his backmost and legs bound together arsenic a defender watches from extracurricular nan cell.

Four erstwhile staffers astatine nan Jefferson City Correctional Center person pleaded not blameworthy to second-degree murder. Charges against a 5th were dropped, Department of Corrections spokesperson Karen Pojmann said.

A criminal title alleges that guards pepper-sprayed Moore, placed a disguise complete his look and near him successful a position that caused him to suffocate.

Moore’s mother and sister separately revenge a wrongful decease lawsuit.

Surveillance video provided by Moore family lawyers shows a number of incarcerated men stripped down to their boxers pinch their hands restrained down their backs arsenic guards select done cells and belongings connected Dec. 8, 2023, nan time Moore died.

While opinionated handcuffed conscionable extracurricular his compartment door, a defender pepper-sprayed Moore, according to Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Locke Thompson’s office.

Video released by Moore’s family past shows him being led distant from nan different incarcerated men. Guards held his arms arsenic he went down to his knees and yet laic look down connected nan floor.

Guards past bound his legs together and put a disguise complete his look earlier strapping him into a cart successful a reclined position, nan video shows.

As he was restrained, nan video shows Moore swayed backmost and distant but did not look to struggle pinch guards.

Guards told investigators that Moore was not pursuing orders to beryllium quiet and that he spit astatine them, though witnesses said Moore was spitting capsicum spray retired of his mouth.

Video shows guards past wheeled Moore to a locked cell, wherever he initially attempted to push himself to a much upright position earlier falling backmost into nan reclined headrest.

His movements gradually slowed for astir 20 minutes until he laic motionless, his caput slumped to 1 side.

A caregiver arrived astir 10 minutes aft Moore went motionless, calmly checked his beat and moved his limp head. The caregiver and different staffer concisely applied accelerated compressions to his precocious assemblage earlier he was wheeled retired of nan cell.

The Moore family’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth, said successful a Tuesday news convention that situation unit acted pinch “no consciousness of urgency.”

In a abstracted statement, Stroth said nan video highlights “the complete disregard for nan sanctity of life, deliberate indifference and nonaccomplishment to supply emergency aesculapian attraction to Othel by nan aesculapian staff.”

Ten staffers and contractor labor were fired successful consequence to Moore’s death.

“We person taken and will proceed to return steps basal to mitigate information risks to everyone successful our facilities,” said a June connection from nan section aft criminal charges were revenge against respective erstwhile staffers. “We return earnestly our work for creating nan safest situation imaginable and will not tolerate behaviors aliases conditions that endanger nan wellbeing of Missourians moving aliases surviving successful our facilities.”

Pojmann successful a Tuesday email said assemblage cameras are now utilized astatine each of nan state’s maximum-security facilities.

Three of nan erstwhile staffers charged pinch second-degree execution successful Moore’s decease person scheduled tribunal appearances successful January. A 4th faces proceedings Dec. 11.