An independent autopsy reportedly shows evidence of “strangulation” in the death of Glenn Foster Jr., the former NFL player who died while in police custody earlier this month.
Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump made the claim in a statement on Friday, saying he and medical experts aren’t convinced the 31-year-old athlete died of natural causes. Crump says the preliminary findings of autopsy suggest Foster was choked prior to his in-custody death on Dec. 6—just two days after he was arrested for a speeding violation in Pickens County.
The autopsy was conducted by Dr. Michael Baden, a well-known forensic pathologist who has been involved with multiple high-profile cases, including the deaths of Jeffrey Epstein, George Floyd, and Michale Brown.
“Glenn Foster Jr.’s death, while in the Pickens County Sheriff’s custody and care, was not from natural causes as the independent autopsy suggests there was some evidence of neck compressions and strangulation,” wrote Crump, who represents the Foster family. “As we continue to investigate the case, we are learning that Mr. Foster’s death in Pickens County appears to be part of a disturbing trend of Black men dying while in the custody of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office. Keeping people in your custody alive is literally the lowest bar we can set for a law enforcement agency, and is something that the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office failed to do.”
Attorneys for the family say Foster was found dead in the back of a police car upon arrival at a Northport medical facility.
The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office say the former defensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints was initially booked on reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, and attempting to elude police charges. On Dec. 5, he was charged with suspicion of simple assault and third-degree robbery after he allegedly attacked another inmate while trying to steal a pair of socks. In the following day, a judge ordered Foster receive medical attention.
“He was healthy when we left him at the jail,” Reform Police Chief Richard Black told ABC News last week.
Authorities have not shared many details about the events leading up to Foster’s death. The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation is handling the probe.
“Pickens County owes the family the truth relating to Mr. Foster’s tragic death,” Crumps statement continued. “These findings are deeply concerning and demand a full and transparent investigation into what happened to Glenn Foster Jr. and how he lost his life. We will not stop until we get answers and justice for Glenn, his family, and the community.”
