[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6579255,"mediaKeyId","3093133-8fd94afe5b88456698203569260934ea","parentId",3093133,"title","Public demands accountability after in‑custody death; council hears calls to release footage, pause $1B jail project and halt morgue plan","audioSeconds",683,"startMs",4487000,"endMs",5170000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3093133-8fd94afe5b88456698203569260934ea&start=4487&end=5170","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3093133-8fd94afe5b88456698203569260934ea/thumbnail_4487000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6579255/Jacksonville/Duval-County/Florida/Public-demands-accountability-after-incustody-death-council-hears-calls-to-release-footage-pause-1B-jail-project-and-halt-morgue-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579255-ef4b0c56ff80974d537530e50317164e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196969&Signature=i6Sf8oL3CpdGtSu3wXBBlNJu9EhWi6BzsUgmTNcTk2GHCeNnou3MzKHJVHy9K4xP9MiHcT81wVPYxCUmtAaZkt1uhtItdqXGbiGPvyiSo7~tT7PsCkjoDXIm39YKn55VRRfZ0ZU-xPnivAPXQ4IRbwMGV9lC9BHFv1we4U8mIDH6buCYA0uZ~oZS66-2hjqQxEKfeBYMyZiXlQI9tZW3M4a8d0Qm4ac4skHmzd2NEFmTWnN81flJp2BxN7wc4o6BDmmW0wzSEURex2tvsifVw0j7h1f5Qd4yWQ5AwZaejdAZO1YKh66o5xkGYmurPFzQ8w4eRyH76rURWkKQWfhpiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Jacksonville, FL","date","2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","article","Dozens of speakers used the public comment period at the Jacksonville City Council meeting to demand transparency and accountability following the death of Charles (Charlie) Faggart while in county custody. Speakers called for release of all footage, criminal prosecution of involved officers, an immediate reassessment of plans for a new billion‑dollar jail, and repurposing of a proposed morgue in Brentwood.

Multiple speakers described the family learning of Mr. Faggart’s death through news reports and said they had received little or no direct information from the sheriff’s office. Testimony from community leaders and advocates referenced recent settlement payouts and alleged prior disciplinary issues involving officers implicated in the case.

Attendees urged the council to use its oversight role to demand transparency and to reconsider funding for a proposed new jail, saying a new facility would not address alleged misconduct, overcrowding and systemic issues. Several speakers linked the jail plans to larger concerns about racial equity and neighborhood impacts (Brentwood was specifically mentioned by multiple speakers in opposition to siting of a proposed morgue). Some speakers demanded that the council withhold or reallocate funding for a new jail until investigations and reforms are completed.

Council response: Multiple council members thanked speakers and acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns. The meeting record shows requests for follow‑up and public calls for the release of footage; however, at the time of the meeting there was no formal council action recorded that changed sheriff’s office investigatory or prosecutorial processes. Several public commenters and community groups indicated they would continue weekly protests and pursue records requests.

Why it matters: The topics raised involve questions about use of force, oversight of corrections staff, transparency in in‑custody deaths, large capital spending on detention facilities and equity in siting public facilities. Community groups described the proposed new jail and a planned morgue as magnifying the city’s history of placing high‑impact facilities in certain neighborhoods and urged council intervention.

What’s next: Speakers urged the council to demand release of all footage, to support criminal investigations, and to pause capital spending on a new jail while pursuing reforms such as pretrial diversion, bail reform and greater oversight of corrections operations. The record shows community organizers plan continued public protests and public records requests.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Jacksonville, FL - City Council - Apr 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple speakers at the Jacksonville City Council meeting demanded release of video and criminal investigation following the death of Charles Faggart in Duval County custody. Speakers urged the council to pause a proposed $1 billion jail project and to reconsider a planned morgue facility in Brentwood.","taxTitle","Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida","taxId",2881,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579260,"Council trims maximum PSG award to $125,000 after late amendment; some members abstain",1437,4779000,6216000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3093133-8fd94afe5b88456698203569260934ea&start=4779&end=6216","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3093133-8fd94afe5b88456698203569260934ea/thumbnail_4779000.jpg","/articles/6579260/Jacksonville/Duval-County/Florida/Council-trims-maximum-PSG-award-to-125000-after-late-amendment-some-members-abstain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579260-96c516325d00fa244b5342fd885d7425/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196969&Signature=D5h8lBUj-txKZhSszEsO3HJX02qTkHSDMIVVZA~jQdZJQ5Zg4FcXGcOCBYVfCtqIGy9OgnrtEpVXT~jtjq-wXQQ~31slBuPr8nja853bsSogIlNy3HxBk642tB8xwxTPH9NnVHdyA3N05QXLW6nUI9g81GrYGxtOhvmIgw1N9f6zpmxDr78Og5htbJoIIpELAOQ~gyKQeLVbHrs4DOPEkDuklvTMt1HlE5skNiwclk1Fi7cNR~idnXY~UBoid5VOHaQPKmsI1WHZBjqGaw0Ts8VUJ7rLT-vDS8T2x-7bU-UhcoQu8sSvfrySQti-xcPwpCr4vQN8fYKcAmYXLFbHpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Jacksonville City Council voted to approve revisions to the city’s Public Service Grant (PSG) ordinance, including a floor amendment that reduced the maximum award per category from $150,000 to $125,000. The final motion—recorded in the meeting transcript as item 20 25 1 91 with the Miller floor amendment attached—passed on third reading with a recorded vote of 13 yeas, 2 nays and 1 abstention. Councilmember Pittman announced an abstention because of her role as CEO of a nonprofit that receives PSG funds.

Background and debate: The PSG council (the citizen advisory body that scores and recommends grants) had proposed changes to address distribution and the number of awards. The Miller floor amendment that the council adopted removed an earlier proposed limit that would have capped organizations at one award total and instead left the structure as one award per category while lowering the per‑category cap from $150,000 to $125,000.

Supporters said the lower cap would allow additional high‑scoring nonprofits to receive funding under this cycle’s available budget. Council members and PSG council representatives cited scoring data showing several high‑scoring organizations fell below the cut line in the last cycle; lowering the cap would ‘‘buy down’’ larger awards and extend funding to more groups. One councilmember noted the change could have allowed nine additional nonprofits to receive awards under the same scoring results as the prior year.

Opponents and concerns: Other council members and nonprofit leaders warned that dropping the cap at the last minute risks reducing proven programs’ capacity and effectiveness; several speakers and council members urged caution about making late, arbitrary numerical changes before the budget cycle. Multiple public commenters representing nonprofits asked the council not to reduce awards and recommended other routes—such as increasing the PSG pool in the annual budget—if the goal is broader distribution.

Vote and outcome: The final recorded vote on the ordinance with the Miller amendment was 13 yeas, 2 nays and 1 abstention (Councilwoman Pittman). The ordinance as amended lowers the maximum award from $150,000 to $125,000 and preserves an allowance for one award per category (rather than one award total per grantee). The PSG council will implement the rule for the current award cycle and will consider other recommended changes separately.

Why it matters: PSG funding supports human services and nonprofit delivery of critical services for vulnerable residents. The council’s change reallocates a limited local resource and will affect how many nonprofits receive city-funded PSG grants this cycle. Several nonprofit leaders at the meeting warned that even modest reductions in award size can reduce services to vulnerable clients; supporters said the change expands the number of organizations getting some funding.

What’s next: The PSG council and city staff are responsible for applying the revised cap to the upcoming award cycle. Multiple council members asked for continued review of the PSG program design and said they would support a more comprehensive review in committee or as part of the next budget cycle.","Jacksonville City Council approved changes to the Public Service Grant (PSG) ordinance that lower the per‑award cap from $150,000 to $125,000 after a floor amendment. The measure passed after debate about committee referral and grant strategy; one council member abstained due to a financial conflict.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579265,"Council declines emergency resolution backing students; dozens of students urge action on AP/IB/CTE funding",2376,742000,3118000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3093133-8fd94afe5b88456698203569260934ea&start=742&end=3118","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3093133-8fd94afe5b88456698203569260934ea/thumbnail_742000.jpg","/articles/6579265/Jacksonville/Duval-County/Florida/Council-declines-emergency-resolution-backing-students-dozens-of-students-urge-action-on-APIBCTE-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579265-4668af5efbf45e22ccd594bc920adcfe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196969&Signature=AzjmePPCw0ahb8WhRWrpYdy3TX3rUE4yvX6C8nqmt8gTnE7R-KoXT1hup9L5OCnT-R0ykMy5-7wWtB9vWq1zoGDUs7XAIkG7O~4OrXodmVTgydzjDT~XaEEI3w14CHOB~esP4Am2elJ08Ntu2EV85~5ql-Aem6CMOP6Zm896905dsJ8hqxTVbp8WEU-pEaLCu5ItdGWX~X-F5CzIEbH7plevPrNDA0GjtObgBl4xclXqVRPS1XhLNGl5zEPJ-YdsWt5f~Mq2zF8tr8bWGS8mvV8HmiPfw-OZ6tNiIsyFHdzqmwjGrNpAKjK98EFmaWHHqMss4ya0mtePs-gJyepF3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jacksonville City Council on a voice/hand vote rejected an emergency procedural motion to advance a resolution urging an emergency request to Tallahassee to maintain or increase funding for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), ACE, dual enrollment and career and technical education (CTE) courses. Council members then allowed an extended public comment period during which dozens of students, parents, educators and supporters addressed the council.

The failed emergency vote occurred during consideration of item identified in the record as an emergency request (item 1062025302). Council members voted on whether to treat the resolution as an emergency (a procedural step to send it immediately to Tallahassee). The presiding officer called for the emergency vote, and after debate the motion failed (members recorded the emergency as not passing in the meeting record). Council member statements show some members objected on the grounds that the council should not function as a “super school board.” Other members urged reconsideration.

The chamber then heard public comment from more than two dozen students and parents representing Duval County public schools. Student speakers described taking AP, IB, ACE and CTE courses and said proposed state budget changes would raise costs for tests and reduce access to college credit and career preparation. Speakers said cuts would disproportionately affect low‑income students who rely on district or program funding to pay for costly exams, supplies and professional development tied to those courses.

Examples of in‑chamber remarks included: “Education is an investment,” a student told council; another said, “Without these programs, I would not have been able to afford $500 for a test.” Multiple speakers asked the council to use its influence to press state legislators and urged elected officials to write letters, to contact Tallahassee and to support students publicly. Several council members (identified on the record as Carlucci, Peluso and Dr. Johnson) urged colleagues to reconsider and to listen to the students before formal final action.

Council members who spoke in favor of the emergency characterized the resolution as a nonbinding expression of support for local students and programs; those opposed said the procedural step was not the appropriate method or venue. After the emergency failed, students and supporters continued public comment on the record. No final ordinance or binding appropriation was adopted on the floor that night related to school funding; the council did not record a final vote adopting the substantive resolution as an emergency instruction to legislative services in the meeting minutes beyond the failed emergency motion.

Why it matters: speakers and several council members said cuts to AP/IB/ACE/CTE tests and program funding would make college credit and career readiness more expensive and less accessible for many Jacksonville students, particularly those from low‑income households. Students said the changes could reduce graduation and college‑completion prospects, and urged local officials to press the state to preserve funding. The meeting record shows a strong turnout of students and community advocates and substantive council debate on the council’s role in advocating to state lawmakers.

What’s next: The council record indicates several members urged students and community members to submit letters and contact Tallahassee directly; multiple council members said they would continue to press the issue outside the emergency procedure. The resolution language presented to the council sought only to express support for maintaining or increasing funding and to request legislative services forward a copy to the Florida Legislature if adopted; the council did not adopt that emergency request during the meeting.","Jacksonville City Council voted down an emergency procedural motion that would have fast-tracked a resolution urging the state to maintain funding for AP, IB, ACE and CTE programs. Dozens of students and parents filled the chamber during public comment to urge the council to act and to press state lawmakers in Tallahassee.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public demands accountability after in‑custody death; council hears calls to release footage, pause $1B jail project and halt morgue plan

Council trims maximum PSG award to $125,000 after late amendment; some members abstain

Council declines emergency resolution backing students; dozens of students urge action on AP/IB/CTE funding