Jacksonville family files wrongful death lawsuit against Florida Department of Corrections

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Forty-three-year-old Timothy Thomas died in a Lake Butler prison facility on Easter Sunday of 2018.

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Attorney Robert Slama represents Thomas’s family and filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging prison guards beat and pepper sprayed Thomas during his transfer there to receive a medical procedure.

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He was later placed in a cell with another inmate, where he died hours later

Slama says this all happened while Thomas was getting breakfast when he was pulled out of line due to the religious headwear he was wearing.

“Timothy Thomas, had on his body various defensive wounds,” Slama said.

Original Story: Family files lawsuit in Jacksonville man’s 2018 death at Lake Butler prison

Slama says Thomas’s initial cause of death was ruled a homicide after supposedly being stabbed by an inmate.

However FDLE investigators later determined Thomas’s cause of death was inaccurate, and it was changed to undetermined.

Thomas’s body was exhumed to determine his true cause of death, and a new medical examiner will examine his body to see if he had a fractured neck.

His mother Carol Thomas says her son was serving a 25-year prison sentence… and had just four years remaining.

“He was somebody, and he was a human being, he didn’t deserve it,” Thomas said.

That wrongful death lawsuit against the Florida Department of Corrections makes several allegations, including a delay of adequate medical treatment with deliberate indifference to Thomas’s serious medical needs.

Read: Inmate dies in Duval County Jail of unknown cause during solitary confinement, police investigating

We spoke with Thomas’s brother. Carlos Wilkson says he just wants justice for his brother.

“I have to go through this every year… he died on my oldest son’s birthday… and was buried on my sister’s birthday,” Wilkson said.

The family attorney tells Action News Jax it could take about a week to receive the results back from the medical examiner.

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We also reached out to the Florida Department of Corrections for comment, they say they don’t discuss pending litigation.

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