- Filings say necessary reporting about Wilson’s death haven’t been carried out
- The family also says video of the incident is in police custody and not released
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The family of Stanley Wilson Jr – a former cornerback who died from a pulmonary embolism while in custody – is suing the county of Los Angeles again after they say authorities failed to properly report his death.
According to the filing, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the County of Los Angeles have, ‘refused to report the facts and circumstances of Stanley Wilson Jr.’s in-custody death’ and have also ‘refused to report the fact of Stanley’s in-custody death, which is required by law.’
Lawyers for the family allege that the state-run hospital Wilson died in have refused to conduct an initial death report or a mortality review. The filing says any inmate death would trigger these inquests.
Additionally, the videos of Wilson’s treatment have not been released – and remain in possession of the county and the sheriff’s department.
The family maintains that Wilson’s death was caused by unconstitutional and excessive force used against him while he was in restraints. But an autopsy determined that a pulmonary thromboembolism, a blood clot that stops blood flow to an artery in the lung, was the cause of death.
The same report found ‘red abrasions’ on Wilson’s ‘forehead, right hand, and right knee,’ but the autopsy says those were ‘superficial’.
The attorney representing the family, John C Carpenter, alleged at a March press conference that photos indicate that Wilson Jr. was the victim of excessive force by LA law enforcement before he died on February 1.
Carpenter claimed photos showed markings on Wilson’s wrists and wounds on his head appear to show that he was either kicked or stomped on.
The claim filed at the time alleged that ‘Wilson Jr.’s body had other physical injuries which indicate that he did not merely “collapse” at the Metropolitan State Hospital as has been widely and misleadingly reported.’
It added that representatives from Metropolitan State Hospital have said that they have no record of Wilson Jr. ever being at their facility while alive.
Wilson Jr.’s grieving mother Dr. D. Pulane Lucas said that county officials had told her that her son had collapsed and fallen out of a chair while going through the intake process at Metropolitan State Hospital before he died.
However, Carpenter claimed that the photos showed a ‘stark contrast to what we’ve been hearing.’
The attorney filed three cases against LA County earlier this year, one on behalf of Wilson Jr’s mother, one on behalf of his father, former NFL running back Stanley Wilson Sr., and one on behalf of his estate, seeking damages in excess of $45 million.
‘The County has grossly misrepresented the cause and circumstances of Stanley Wilson Jr.’s death,’ Carpenter said in the court filings.
‘We just want the truth,’ Wilson Jr.’s father, Wilson Sr. said at the time. ‘It hurts really bad to bury your child.’
He went on to describe his son a a meek, humble, fun, loving, and charismatic man who attended Stanford University but the family said he suddenly became less social, more withdrawn, anxious and depressed.
Last year, Wilson Jr. was charged with two felony counts of vandalism and one count of second-degree burglary after breaking into a Hollywood Hills mansion on two separate occasions, most recently taking a bath in an outdoor fountain after moving and damaging items in the home on August 24.
His alleged outdoor bath was said to have caused $5,000 in damage, and Wilson was arrested on both occasions.
After residing in county jail, Wilson was ruled not fit to stand trial and as such was moved to the mental facility on February 1, where he died the same day.
In 2016, Wilson was shot by a homeowner while attempting to break into a Portland residence naked. He was also arrested for that incident.
The following year, he conducted another break-in while naked, and was again taken into custody.
Wilson was taken in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Lions, playing just three seasons.
He suffered a career-ending Achilles tear in 2008 against New England in an exhibition game, prior to the regular season’s commencement.
Throughout his career, Wilson played 32 games, starting nine, recording one forced fumble, 89 tackles – 64 of those solo.
Prior to being drafted by the Lions, Wilson was a college star at Stanford. He enrolled at the prestigious Northern California school in 2000 and played for the Cardinal football team between 2001-04.
He was the son of ex-Cincinnati Bengals running back Stanley Wilson Sr., who played for the Ohio franchise intermittently in 1983-84, 1986 and 1988.
Wilson Sr. was infamously caught high on cocaine on the eve of 1989’s Super Bowl XXIII by Bengals position coach Jim Anderson.
He was suspended for the game, in which Cincinnati ultimately lost, and never played in the league again.
Previously, he was suspended for the entirety of the 1985 and 1987 seasons after violating the NFL’s drug policy.
As a result, Wilson Sr.’s Super Bowl indiscretion meant he was banned for life since it was his third drug offense. In 1999, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison for stealing from a Beverly Hills home.