Foster Jr.’s family demands answers on his death at the hands of the Reform Police Department.
REFORM, AL –– Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump of Ben Crump Law and co-counsel Diandra “Fu” Debrosse Zimmermann and Robert F. “Bobby” DiCello of DiCello Levitt have been retained by the family of Glenn Foster Jr., who died Monday, after being found unresponsive in the back of a police cruiser upon arrival at a medical facility.
Foster Jr., a family man, businessman, philanthropist, and former New Orleans Saints football player, was taken into police custody on Saturday after a speeding violation. Foster Jr.’s parents believe he may have been suffering from a manic episode in the days leading up to, during, and following his arrest. According to his family, Foster Jr. has a history of mental health challenges, which they communicated to the Reform Police Department’s Chief.
When the family arrived to post bail for Foster Jr. and take him to a mental health evaluation, they were told he had been in an altercation with another inmate and was now under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s office, which delayed his treatment. The family was denied visitation with Foster Jr.
Attorney Crump has released the following statement:
“Glenn Foster Jr. was a beloved husband and the father of four children he was raising with his wife and high school sweetheart. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist. Now, he’s dead, leaving behind a broken-hearted family that is demanding answers. The portrayal of him as a large man, a former NFL football player is a classic part of the playbook in explaining and justifying the death of a Black man by police. The fact is that he was subdued in handcuffs and posed no risk. There is no reason why he was alive in police custody and sixteen minutes later he was dead. We will not rest until we get answers and justice for Glenn Foster Jr. and his distraught family.”
Attorney Diandra “Fu” Debrosse Zimmermann released the following statement:
“Law enforcement had a responsibility to keep Glenn Foster Jr. safe when they took him into custody, as they had control over his body. But they denied him both his liberty and his safety. So, it is appalling and unacceptable that he wound up dead on their watch. His family told police that he struggled with mental health issues, and they sought to pick him up and take him for treatment. Instead of ensuring that he was treated appropriately and getting him the care he needed, they recklessly took his life. We stand firmly with the family of Glenn Foster Jr., and working with Attorney Crump, we will demand full transparency and justice.”
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Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.