In response to the agreement reached between the Estate of Jamal Sutherland and the government entities announced at Tuesday's Charleston County Council meeting, the family of Jamal Sutherland offers the following:
Justice for Jamal will come in many forms. We are pleased to have negotiated a settlement with the government entities that provides the type of civil justice he deserves, but our work is not yet done. With God's help, we will continue the necessary conversations with local, state, and federal leaders to ensure that everyone affected by mental illness is treated with the same dignity and respect we all deserve and demand. As we move forward, please continue to pray for our family, our community, each other, and justice for Jamal.
Attorney Mark A. Peper and Attorney Gary Christmas, who are representing the family, said they intend to “aggressively pursue litigation against all others responsible for Jamal's tragic death, to include Palmetto Behavioral Health and the third-party medical provider at the Charleston County jail, Wellpath.”
