Jason Kenny, who used the stun gun on Ajibade, and Maxine Kenny were acquitted of the manslaughter charge, but found guilty on all others brought against them.
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The verdict in the January death of Mathew Ajibade prompted attorneys for his family to criticize Chatham County District Attorney Meg Heap for going after rank-and-file jailers rather than investigating lapses by Sheriff Al St. Lawrence and his senior staff. Evans was accused of failing to ensure Ajibade’s condition was checked every 15 minutes, as the jail required. On four different occasions during Thursday’s deliberation, jurors asked about anything from the definition of involuntary manslaughter as it pertains to Evans, and to the definition of aggravated assault, which is a charge Kenny faced. Evans was found guilty of public record fraud and three counts of perjury for grand jury testimony about the use of the restraint chair.
Jail nurse Gregory Brown had also been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
A cousin of Ajibade said he was not surprised by the verdict.
“I’m disappointed she got convicted at all”, Phillips said. I had already warned my family not to expect anything. “We expected nothing, and we got nothing”. Another video, shot on a camera mounted on Kenny’s Taser, shows Ajibade being shocked in the groin after being placed in a restraint chair.
The video shows him combative as he thrashes on the ground violently.
Nine deputies were fired in the aftermath of Ajibade’s death. Though Ajibade was bloodied by punches and kicked in the head, no deputies involved in the fight were charged with crimes.
It’s the last image of him alive.
“Mathew is dead and justice has not been done”.
But the district attorney says this was a long-fought battle that turned out the way it should.
Defense attorneys argued the autopsy findings made it impossible to hold any single person responsible for Ajibade’s death.
“That force is considered to be justified, yes sir”, Johnson answered.
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Three deputies were injured by Ajibade during the jail altercation, including a female sergeant who suffered a concussion and a broken nose, according to authorities.
