The DeKalb District Attorney staff will review a GBI report and if necessary do more investigation to decide whether to pursue an indictment in the death of sheriff office recruit, Channel 2 Action News reported.
George Ward, 29, was doing physical training as part of his preparation to become a detention officer at the county jail when he died in May 2013. It was the second day of the jail’s training academy.
On Thursday, Sheriff Jeff Mann announced that GBI medical examiner has reviewed medical records from a DeKalb County autopsy and confirmed that Ward died because of a pre-existing condition. Mann, elected earlier this year, was chief deputy when Ward died. Mann said he asked for the GBI review.
“We understand that Mr. Ward’s family continues to grieve his loss, and they have our sympathies,” Mann said in an email. “After reviewing the report, however, I remain confident that this agency acted responsibly with regard to his tragic death and to our training program during retired Sheriff Thomas Brown’s administration. We continue to do so today. When Mr. Ward became ill while training, we responded swiftly, professionally and appropriately.”
GBI typically provides its investigation to the local district attorney to make a decision about prosecution in such cases.
Mann contends the training program is “text book” for law enforcement agencies.
Questions about Ward’s death arose after Channel 2 Action News uncovered a surveillance video of training that took place the day before the 29-year-old recruit died.
In the video, Ward appeared to be vomiting, struggling to keep up with exercises and having difficulties breathing.
Ward, wearing a pink shirt during the training, was hunched over while drill sergeants pushed him to perform. His mother, Lorraine Fredericks, questioned whether the pink shirt was to single him out.
After reviewing the video, DeKalb medical examiners changed his manner of death from “natural” to “undetermined.”
Ward had previously been a jail guard on the island of St. Thomas before moving from the Virgin Islands to become a jailer in DeKalb Count.
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