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Collin County Sheriff Fires Seven Officers After Marvin Scott III's Death

Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner announced April 1 that he was terminating all seven officers involved in the in-custody death of Marvin Scott III. Scott was a 26-year-old Black man with a promising future, according to friends and family.
sheriff-jim-skinner-collin-county-David-Downs
Jim Skinner | All photos by David Downs

Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner announced April 1 that he was terminating all seven officers involved in the in-custody death of Marvin Scott III.

Scott was a 26-year-old Black man with a promising future, according to friends and family. He lived in Frisco at the time of his arrest in March for a low-level marijuana offense. Allen police transported him to the Collin County jail where he later died under suspicious circumstances that allegedly involved asphyxiation, according to an independent third party autopsy report.

“He was placed in a restraint chair for 11 minutes then moved to a restraint bed after being sprayed with mace,” his mother Lasandra Scott said at a press conference last week. “A knee was placed on his arm and a pressure-point tactic was performed under his chin.”

"Evidence I have seen confirms that these detention officers violated well-established Sheriff's Office policies and procedures," Skinner said in the press release. "Everyone in Collin County deserves safe and fair treatment, including those in custody at our jail. I will not tolerate less."

Marvin D. Scott III man dies in custody Collin County Sheriff's Office
Marvin D. Scott III | Collin County Sheriff's Office

Texas Rangers' investigation into Marvin's death is still ongoing and none of the former detention officers have been charged, as of this writing.

In an April 1 press release, Collin County Judge Chris Hill supported Sheriff Skinner's decision.

"The people of Collin County are dismayed that Marvin Scott III died while in custody at the Collin County jail on March 14, and our hearts break for Mr. Scott's family," Judge Hill wrote. "... I fully support Sheriff Skinner’s decision. Collin County and the Sheriff’s Office will always hold our officers to the highest standards in their sworn duty to protect all people."