Family demands answers from police, sheriff after death in Maricopa County jail

With the Phoenix Police Department headquarters looming in the background, the family of a woman found dead in her jail cell demanded answers Tuesday from the department and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

The mother and sisters of Cassidy Stigler were the second group to speak in a series of press conferences presenting allegations of law enforcement violence planned by Rev. Jarrett Maupin in December.

Stigler, 32, was found dead on Sept. 9 in county jail, a day after two Phoenix officers arrested her for what they believed was a blue fentanyl pill.

There was a struggle during the arrest, according to police records. Her mother, Barbara Johnson, said during the news conference that she believed the arresting officers inflicted injuries that led to Stigler's death.

Johnson said she was told her daughter was found dead face down in her cell.

"I said, 'When was she picked up? How come she didn't get a phone call? Why didn't they let me identify her?' They didn't let me Identify my own daughter," she said.

She has been struggling, she said, to find out what happened to her daughter and learn the cause of her death.

"I went to the police department, 'I need all the body footage. I need all the police reports and everything.' They've been giving me the runaround. I don't know what else to do," Johnson said.

Phoenix police did not comment on Johnson's contention that they have delayed sharing reports and footage with the family.

In an email to The Arizona Republic, a Phoenix police spokesperson said that while in police custody, "it appeared that Stigler lost consciousness and displayed symptoms of being under the influence of drugs, at which time she was given Narcan. Stigler regained consciousness and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation."

Sgt. Rob Scherer said Stigler was taken to jail after being released from medical care.

What we know about Stigler's death from law enforcement

Court records showed that Stigler had been arrested for narcotics possession, resisting arrest and aggravated assault against a police officer. The direct complaint filed by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office named James Jarvis as the officer who prosecutors say was assaulted.

The probable cause statement filled out by Jarvis said that he found a blue pill believed to be fentanyl in Stigler's jacket. He wrote that he tried to grab her to put her under arrest, but Stigler pulled away, and after telling her three times she was under arrest, she resisted by kicking and trying to bite.

Jarvis' statement did not say whether Stigler was injured or what force the two arresting officers used.

She was taken to the county jail intake and died the next day, according to Maricopa County Sheriff's Office records.

The Sheriff's Office has not provided details about how she was found or what injuries caused her death, but the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office classified the death as accidental. A complete medical examiner's report has not been released. Manner of death can usually be classified as a homicide, accidental, natural, suicide or undetermined.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office did not respond to questions about Stigler's death.

What's next for Stigler's family?

The family is currently working to file a claim against the city, but they are waiting on access to police body camera footage to do so.

"They need to be held accountable for what they are doing to our children," Johnson said.

Maupin tied this case to the U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the Phoenix police. The DOJ investigation is looking into violations of the use of force, among other things.

"The city says that they don't want to sign the consent decree because they'll lose officers," Maupin said, "and it will cause people not to want to work fort them. Who wants to work for him now?"

Maupin said he would be in front of Phoenix police headquarters throughout the month, highlighting similar situations.

"We're demanding justice. And this is day two. And tomorrow will be day three of deaths, brokenhearted families and the truth of what in the world is going on in terms of police brutality. And misconduct is going to come out, day by day, until the city does right. And until the feds do everything they can," he said.

Reach the reporter at miguel.torres@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Family demands answers from police after death in Maricopa County jail