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9 Investigates: Federal lawsuit filed in Orange County inmate's death

William Howard

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A federal lawsuit has been filed against the Orange County jail over a 75-year-old inmate’s death.

Channel 9's Janine Reyes has been following every angle of Williams Howard's story since he died after a "take down technique" in November.

Howard was arrested and charged with aggravated battery after he was accused of stabbing his wife November 16.  He was taken to the Orange County Jail and died three days later of a spinal injury.

Eyewitness News learned before Howard’s arrest, he had just returned home from an out-of-state funeral involving the killings of his niece and her three children.

A federal lawsuit was filed Monday that alleges excessive force, wrongful death and deliberate indifference.

Eyewitness News learned after Howard’s arrest, medical staff at the jail found he had glaucoma – a debilitating eye disease that can cause blindness. That's why officers banged on the door and directed him to follow the noise so they could handcuff him. Howard did not go toward the door, so officers used force.

Five correctional officers took Howard down. A spokesperson for the jail said the officers used an "approved physical control technique.”

The federal lawsuit alleges the officers not only “outnumbered Howard,” they also each weighed well over 200 pounds and were no match for the "elderly, effectively blind, and weighed 187 pounds" man.

Medical staff waited 24 hours to assess Howard, leading to the termination of one nurse; two others received reprimands.

Howard’s family's attorneys argue the take down was excessive. The attorneys also said the jail staff knew about Howard's mental health 10 hours before the takedown. A jail psychologist wrote Howard was "very confused, and unable to answer questions in a reality-based manner."

A second internal investigation just wrapped up, but the corrections officers’ discipline hasn’t publicly been released.

Howard died one day after the take down.