Onyx Bugett | TalkLife News
Morning edition · October 29, 2026
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Charles Faggart’s family will be allowed to privately review surveillance footage and reports concerning the incident that preceded his death in Jacksonville custody, following a judge’s ruling Wednesday.
The decision creates a path for the family to see material it has sought for more than a year. It does not authorize publication of the footage or resolve who bears responsibility for Faggart’s death.
News4JAX reported October 28 that Judge Michael Sharrit directed the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to provide the records to the family’s attorneys for private viewing. A separate decision on wider disclosure remains ahead.
Family access and public release are different
JSO had argued that releasing the material could compromise an active FBI investigation. News4JAX reported that a federal prosecutor raised concerns about witnesses coordinating accounts or evidence being destroyed if investigative details became public.
The court nevertheless allowed access for the family and counsel. Their attorney, Belkis Plata, said they hoped to receive the records within about a week. The ruling itself therefore should not be reported as confirmation that the family already has watched the video.
Action News Jax’s October 28 account describes the evidence as jail video and unedited reports. It reports that the family wants broader disclosure and information needed to consider legal action.
The investigation remains unresolved
Faggart died in April 2025 after being hospitalized following the jail incident. The FBI investigation remains active, according to the local reporting. A records ruling is not a criminal charging decision, a verdict or a completed explanation of the death.
For Jacksonville residents, the case raises a concrete accountability question: how can a family obtain answers while investigators protect evidence? Wednesday’s ruling addresses access under restrictions. It does not answer the underlying questions the records may help illuminate.
The next confirmed developments to watch are delivery of the material, any further disclosure order and official investigative decisions. Until those occur, claims about what unseen footage proves would go beyond the available record.