Pleasant Prairie police custody death, squad video released
PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. - Pleasant Prairie police have released video associated with the July in-custody death of Jacob Albright.
The video release comes two days after Kenosha County prosecutors announced they will not charge the officers involved.
Police said Albright shot himself in the back of a squad car outside the Kenosha County Jail. Though his family said Albright was wearing a t-shirt and basketball shorts, a letter from District Attorney Michael Graveley suggested that police missed the gun.
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The shooting happened July 20. Around 3:45 p.m. that day, police said they arrested Albright on "weapons related offenses" outside a Super 8 hotel.
Graveley said two officers led Albright to a squad car for a search, and Albright began "thrashing" his arms. Once they secured Albright, Graveley said the officers searched Albright against the outside of the vehicle, but both officers determined a more thorough search should happen in the sally port at the Kenosha County Jail.
Pleasant Prairie shooting; police not to be charged
Kenosha County prosecutors will not charge Pleasant Prairie police in the death of Jacob Albright on July 20.
Due to Albright’s "resistive behaviors," Graveley said the squad video shows Albright unfasten his own seatbelt and reach into his rear waistband area, though handcuffed. At 4:13 p.m. that day, Graveley noted Albright rolled onto his side while moving his hands behind his back. He sat up, and that is when Graveley noted a black handgun appeared on the seat.
A loud "pop" was heard just as the squad approached the sally port driveway. Graveley wrote that it is clear Albright shot himself and concluded that officers will not face criminal charges. Albright’s family sees it differently.
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"There is no way that a weapon should make it in the back of a squad with a detained individual," James Gende with Gende Law Offices said. "No way."
Graveley said the gun found in the backseat was not the service weapon of a Pleasant Prairie police officer. The police department said an internal review has been ordered to see if the officers involved violated any department policies or procedures.