Community demands records and hearing after in‑custody death; county asks sheriff for completed reports

Community members crowded the commission chambers to demand transparency after the March 24 death of James (Keith) Lee while in the custody of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Several speakers urged immediate release of body‑worn camera footage, incident and use‑of‑force reports, EMS records and a public hearing with the sheriff and the family present.

"This death cannot be kept behind closed doors. We need the county commission to hold an emergency public hearing," said Juniper Curtis of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, which submitted a public‑records request that the group says was approved and paid for but later closed by the sheriff as an active investigation.

Speakers asked the commission to use budget leverage and require transparency before any additional sheriff funding is approved. Commissioners clarified legal and practical limits: the sheriff is an independently elected constitutional officer who controls office operations and can petition the state for funding, so the board cannot compel his attendance or directly manage ongoing criminal investigations.

After discussion, the board approved a motion (majority) asking staff to secure completed investigative reports related to in‑custody deaths (closed/completed investigations only) from the sheriff’s office and to report back to the commission. Commissioners emphasized they will not seek to interfere with active investigations but said the public deserves access to records once investigations are concluded.

What the motion does: staff will request completed and closed investigative records on recent in‑custody deaths and report back to the board; the motion passed with a majority of the commission.