The attorney representing Faggart’s family said medical professionals reviewed hospital records, saying he didn’t have fentanyl in his system.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — During the funeral for Charles Faggart on Saturday, as his loved ones gathered to honor his memory and grieve his passing, the family’s attorney issued a statement clarifying that Faggart was not under the influence of fentanyl at the time of the incident at Duval County Jail that resulted in his death.
An incident report from April 7 indicated that Faggart had informed jail officials of being on the drug. This report was authored by one of the nine corrections officers who are currently being scrutinized by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office, and the FBI regarding the incident.
Attorney Belkis Plata released the statement Saturday afternoon, attributing medical professionals who reviewed Faggart’s hospital records.
“Our consultations with medical experts have confirmed, through hospital records, that no fentanyl was present in Charles’s system when he was admitted—contradicting a police report that suggested Charles informed officers of fentanyl use,” Plata stated on behalf of the family. “This statement originated from officers who are themselves subjects of an ongoing investigation, and we assert that this claim is inaccurate.”
The report, written by T.C. Pennamon, one of the corrections officers under investigation, said at one point Faggart told the jail’s mental health director he “did fentanyl,” and the director then “deemed him fit to be placed in self-harm housing.”
The report says “yes” to a questionnaire asking whether drugs were involved in the incident.
Faggart, 31, died April 10 after the incident inside the Duval County Jail on April 7. He was in custody for simple assault and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors.
JSO released a redacted version of the incident report on April 14, and the exact circumstances that led to Faggart’s death remain unclear.
Plata said Faggart’s family still doesn’t know exactly what happened to the Jacksonville caterer and food truck owner.
“The family remains desperate for answers. Our team has been in contact with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Office of the State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, and the FBI,” Plata said in the statement. “Each agency has indicated that investigations are ongoing but have been unable to provide any updates or a timeline for resolution.”
Florida law prevents the release of information that’s under an active criminal investigation.
“Burying their son without answers has been one of the hardest parts of this nightmare,” Plata said in the statement. “It is a devastating reality to lay him in the ground without knowing what truly happened or who will be held accountable. The family continues to call for transparency, accountability, and timely justice for Charles.”
Eight corrections officers and one corrections sergeant are listed as part of the active investigation and have been stripped of their corrections authority, JSO said in a social media post.
The incident was in its “early stages” of a criminal investigation by JSO, the FBI and the State Attorney’s Office, JSO said on April 14.
“It is a top priority for Sheriff Waters and his administration to get the information involving this incident to Mr. Faggart’s family, friends, and our community,” JSO said in the April 14 post. “However, we ask people to respect that serious investigations like this take time and it is our duty to get it right. Rest assured; we will release relevant case details as soon as we are able to do so.”
First Coast News reached out to JSO for an update on the investigation, and will update this story with their response.
First Coast News also requested a copy of the hospital reports referenced in Plata’s statement from the family, as well as preliminary and full autopsy reports from the medical examiner’s office. This story will be updated when that information becomes available.
