From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, several families who have had loved ones to be found dead in the Escambia County jail will gather for a time of prayer and silent protest. This will take place on the sidewalk in front of the jail at 1700 W. Leonard Street in Pensacola.
There have been several deaths to occur inside the jail, with the last coming on January 15, 2016. Alfred Earl Wesley (63) was found unresponsive in his cell on that evening. Wesley was the seventh (7th) inmate to die in the jail in the last 14 months. According to Inweekly.net, James Brumley (48) died of suicide on 11/2/14, Chad Day (43) died of suicide on 1/21/15, Rodney Berry (53) died on 5/27/15, Shawn Jordan (45) died on 9/1/15, Cedrick Henderson (29) died of suicide on 9/23/15, and Samuel Averheart (21) died on 11/15/15.
According to the press announcement, the purpose of the prayer and protest by the families is to raise awareness of the deaths in the jail, and to push for the needed investigations and reforms in the jail. This is the first of several the group has planned.
Said Deborah Bell, “We know that the need is great for there to be more attention paid to this. We believe that the more Escambia County knows and understands, then the greater the chances of this getting turned around. No one wins with people dying in the jail.â€
A list of the day’s event is as follows:
10:00am Prayer
10:05 – 10:10 Balloon Release
10:10 – 10:55 Silent Protest
10:55 Closing Prayer
For more information, contact Lonnie Wesley at 850-433-4787, or 850-780-3366.