Footage Of John Neville’s Death Goes Public

Newly released body camera footage, made public Wednesday, gives new perspective into what transpired between John Neville and Forsyth County Detention Center staff nearly eight months ago inside the Forsyth County Detention Center.

It shows how five corrections officers and a nurse handled what started as a medical issue for Neville and transpired into a series of injuries that — according to the district attorney — caused Neville to lose his life.

In the video, while looking into the cell, nurse Michelle Heughins can be heard telling a corrections officer, “I don’t think he’s breathing.”

Neville died Dec. 4, 2019, two days after being booked at the jail.

The ordeal began on Dec. 1 after Neville fell from his bunk due to an unknown medical issue. The handling of that incident led six staff members to be charged with involuntary manslaughter.

In one of the clips, staff can be heard asking an unresponsive Neville to “Wake up, buddy,” someone can be heard in the background yelling, “You guys killed him. You killed him.”

Neville initially fell, but after going in and out of consciousness, and at times becoming combative with staff, officers moved him from his cell to an observation cell. He is handcuffed.

In the footage, an officer is recorded asking, “Whose cuffs were those?”

The handcuff key is broken.

Another responds saying the broken pair were his. The officer responds “It’s coming out of your paycheck.”

The group laughs.

“Those were actually a good pair, too,” an officer is recorded saying.

The group laughs again.

It would take two sets of bolt cutters — and more than 12 minutes since Neville was placed face down — to remove the handcuffs.

The medical examiner ruled Neville died from a brain injury due to cardiac arrest, due to asphyxia during a prone restraint — which is being restrained in the facedown position.

[Footage is available via WXII NBC 12]