Hours before a shoplifting suspect died in a Columbia County jail cell, a judge had issued an order declaring him mentally ill and ordering involuntary treatment.
The order of Probate County Judge Alice Padgett last Thursday for Brandon Joiner had declared him both mentally ill and a drug dependent person “who presents a substantial risk of imminent harm to himself,” according to the order obtained by The Augusta Press.
Did the jail staff know about the order when they locked him up that night for allegedly shoplifting two cans of compressed air?
“Our agency was aware of the order, but he never made it through the booking process,” sheriff’s Maj. Steve Morris said Monday. “He was cooperative, didn’t cause any problems, went into his cell and laid down and died.”
Family of Joiner have said that he had a mental and abuse problem and had a breakdown. They said the committal order said Joiner was supposed to be brought to East Georgia Regional Hospital upon his apprehension. They argue that he was placed in a cell without medical attention.
Maj. Morris said his agency is investigating whether the jail staff knew about the order as part of their internal investigation into the death. He said they usually contact a regional hospital after a person is processed to see if the facility has space for someone, but Joiner had not been processed.
But the major said part of their internal investigation to see if errors were made will depend on the outcome of an autopsy and toxicology to determine Joiner’s cause of death.
Joiner, 32, was found deceased in his holding cell at 2 a.m. Friday. He had been arrested at Walmart in Evans for shoplifting cans of compressed computer air. He was transported to jail and a booking report was completed at approximately 11:40 pm. Joiner was placed into a holding cell where he was the sole occupant, Maj. Morris said.
At about 2 a.m. Friday, jail personnel found Joiner unresponsive. Jail personnel began to administer CPR and Narcan with negative results. EMS and firefighters arrived where attempts to save Brandon Joiner met with negative results.
