A lot of things are not yet known about what led to the death of 23-year-old Anthony Fennick last week, after he deteriorated before other inmates’ eyes and nurses at the Flagler jail earlier this month. Some of those things may never be known. Theoretically he did not die at the jail but went brain-dead soon after arriving at the hospital, thus creating an ideal gray zone for lawyers defending against a liability suit. The hospital can blame the jail. The jail can blame the hospital. The Sheriff’s Office can blame Armor Correctional, its contracted health provider. Meanwhile the autopsy may well show that no one was to blame. We don’t yet know.
But what’s not known doesn’t diminish what is known. And what is known is disturbing enough, no matter what the findings of the autopsy or the sheriff’s ongoing investigation will show.
What we do know is that Anthony entered the jail after failing a urine test for cocaine in late December and getting kicked out of drug court. He was otherwise relatively healthy. He got sick about five days before he was wheeled out of the jail, with high fevers and degradation day after day starting around Jan. 30. He got some attention from nurses at the jail, some of it caring, some of it dismissive, according to his mother. The dismissive part is alarming, that he never saw a doctor even more so. He was never sent to the hospital for a more thorough work-up despite five days of high fevers.
The night of February 4 Anthony was vomiting, was out of it, and had a seizure, finally prompting his transfer to the hospital. There he went into cardiac arrest and never regained consciousness after his heart was revived. His breathing machine was turned off last Saturday.
Here’s what we also know. Less than two years ago the sheriff’s office contracted with Miami-based Armor Correctional Health Services to provide what’s dubbed as 24-hour care for inmates, keeping in mind that a medical director of physician was required to be at the jail only two hours a week. The rest was covered mostly by LPNs, with a charge nurse on duty 40 hours a week–for the current price of $641,200 a year, for any size inmate population up to 225. (The benchmark population was 195 in September, 179 in October, 156 in November.)
What’s also known is that Armor is a magnet for lawsuits. After taking over health services in Volusia jails four years ago, it piled up four wrongful death lawsuits and so much dissatisfaction from the county council that by last summer the council fired Armor. A quick scan of recent reports unearths a morgue of scabrous stories. The company was under investigation in Lake County over the death of an inmate. Last year the state of Wisconsin charged in a lawsuit that Armor intentionally falsified inmates’ records. The year before a federal jury found Armor and Nassau County, New York, negligent in an inmate’s death, awarding its family $7.9 million in damages.
I could go on, though in fairness to Armor, the problem isn’t necessarily Armor itself (Centurion, Volusia’s previous provider, was a prisonhouse of lawsuits too), but the privatization of inmate health care. “Winning bids for prison contracts are often separated by pennies per day,” Joseph Hallinan wrote of privatization in his book on prisons a few years ago. “Those pennies mean the difference between a profitable prison and a money-loser. To save them, corners are cut, promises are broken, and sometimes inmates die.” He was referring to entirely privatized institutions. But the principle applies just as starkly to privatized contracts like Armor’s.
The sheriff was wrong to go that route last year when he had a county-based alternative that had been providing care at lower cost. That arrangement unquestionably needed modernizing, and it did not provide 24-hour coverage. But that standard could have been written into the new arrangement without a private contractor’s knee-jerk instinct to cut corners with inmates popularly and enthusiastically held in low regards, including, by the way, by our own sheriff.
Which brings me to one last thing we do know: the advertised contempt Sheriff Rick Staly shows inmates from the outset, before they even cross the jail’s threshold, with that odious Green Roof Inn sign at the jail’s entrance. Sure Staly has good programs to help inmates inside the jail. But the sign undermines the intention. The sheriff, with unfortunate mimicry of law enforcement zealots like Polk County’s Grady Judd or Volusia’s Mike Chitwood, tells inmates, most of whom have not been adjudicated, that they’ll be wearing “designer jewelry” in the form of handcuffs and leg irons and “free designer clothing” in the form of “color coordinated jumpsuits and shoes.” The sign tells each inmate to “enjoy your stay” and finishes up with a guilty-until-proven-innocent “crime stops here” statement above the sheriff’s name. A second sign directed at departing inmates isn’t more creditable.
Judging from the initial response the Green Roof Inn smear got on the sheriff’s Facebook page a year ago (its first-year anniversary grimly coincides with Fennick’s death), most people love it. Most people think it’s funny and deserved. It appeals to that gladiatorial lust for punishment as an entertainment, which costs spectators nothing. That’s the problem. Staly is directing the sign as much at inmates as at his applauding constituents, boosting his popularity. But justice and law enforcement are not popularity contests, and inmates are not political pawns. The sign is demeaning of this community because it reflects on it. It blares contempt for human beings, whether found guilty or not. And it sets an indefensible tone at the top that, when deaths like Anthony Fennick’s occur, can turn into a lawyer’s most convincing closing statement in a negligence lawsuit against the sheriff. How can the sheriff demand that his health provider treat inmates with dignity when he doesn’t? The sign is, on its face, a legal and moral liability.
I’ve had many more reasons to admire Staly than not. This is not one of them. Sheriff Staly, tear down that sign.
Pierre Tristam is FlaglerLive’s editor. Reach him by email here or follow him @PierreTristam. A version of this piece aired on WNZF.
Nancy N. says
Standing ovation! Eloquently put. This needs to stop, all of it. This is immoral, and we as a community are better than this.
next election says
It will be taken down after the next election by our new sheriff.
Happening now says
THANK YOU!
Concerned Citizen says
Having been in Public Safety most of my adult life first in Law Enforcement then Fire Rescue I’ll say this.
Sheriff Staly is one of the most unprofessional Sheriff’s I’ve seen in a long time. He has had many scandals under his command and to my knowledge has not owned any of it. Nor has he publicly reassured the citizens of this county (who he works for) how he intends to correct his agencies shortcomings.
I’ve said it before and will say it again. Having been in supervisory positions both in the military and Public Safety you are responsible for your troops 24/7. You may delegate authority and tasking but the buck stops with you. You command the entire agency. Not just the glamorous divisions.
From the constant playing at Wyatt Earp and SWAT to riding around with has been public figures you show a lack of interest in the daily functioning of the Sheriff’s Office. This reflects a general disengagement on your part which eventually trickles down to your command staff and the Line Deputies.
The signage at the jail and your constant degrading of fellow human beings who have fallen into unfortunate circumstances (albeit some of their choosing) shows a lack of compassion and overall disrespect to your community. It’s time for the signs to go. And it’s time for you to modify your outlook on inmates in your facility. All are human beings and not all are guilty of what they were arrested for.
Sheriff Staly you took an Oath when you were elected as Sheriff. That Oath holds you to higher standards and a higher level of professionalism. Your behavior right now is that of a typical politician who has grown cocky and comfortable in his position. Please remember that you are elected and can be replaced.
Perhaps it’s time for Flagler County to insist on changes in it’s Law Enforcement Agency as well as it’s government..
Outside Looking Out says
I can’t believe I am actually agreeing with Tristam on 98% of this article. The part I don’t agree with is: I have seen no reason at all to admire cowboy rick.
Diane says
I want to start by expressing sincere sympathy to the family, and friends of Anthony Fennick. I hope that you will learn the true facts behind his untimely death. And I pray that you find comfort in knowing the truth. But, I also know that any death of a loved one will have a lifelong effect on the survivors.
I don’t know Sheriff Staly. But, I will stand up for him, his deputies, and anyone else employed by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. They are trying to keep our County safe! The whole idea behind law enforcement is to gather enough evidence to prove that someone broke the law. The next step is to show that evidence to a judge, and obtain an arrest warrant. Whoever said that they are supposed to coddle these criminals? If you want to live in a safe community then you need to support our law enforcement agencies, our correctional institutions, and our judicial system. If you think that they’re being “too tough” on our criminals then you better start preparing for Anarchy!
FCSO…THANK YOU!
Richard says
Pierre you are acting more and more like the rest of the snowflakes. Justice and law enforcement do NOT win popularity contests and in fact most people would not want their jobs including you I imagine. So lighten up and cut the sheriff some slack. It’s surprising that you along with others haven’t called the signs racists too as that seems to be the current trend for the left.
August says
Maybe when he gets back from Dubai, his whole term looks like a sad joke, to me.
Stretchem says
Well said. Law enforcement is only a part of the overall American law and order system. Just like the judicial, it is constitutiinally mandated to be fair and impartial. Can you inagine a sign at the entrance to the courthouse with something like :Hang’em high”? It wouldn’t fly. So why is the demeaning sign at the jail any different?
Katherine Werzanski says
Mr. Tristam,
Is the sign really that odious? What should we have for them upon entering jail; a picket fence and flowers? I don’t agree that the sign is demeaning of our community. I feel it shows that our Sheriff doesn’t take to criminals lightly and he has done a great job in my eyes. I wish you would write your articles with the facts and not your opinions. I hope Sheriff Staly continues to go after the filth that is in our community and hold them accountable for their actions. It’s a shame that there was a death of an inmate and I feel sorry for his family. I hope his cocaine use didn’t have anything to do with his heath issues. Looking forward to reading an article with the facts of this case.
Katherine Werzanski
Kathy says
Staly does not have any regard for the process of the judicial system, he does not have any regard for human beings whom he categorizes as beneath him and his ego. Of course those he leads would follow their leader (many but not all).
On November 15, 2017 in an email I sent this –
“Can you please stop using the term Green Roof Inn, it’s disgraceful, makes you look foolish, and supports the view that FCSO is a joke by making it a joke…we are trying to get away from the joke perception, correct?”
His response approximately 24 hours later was this –
“Thank you for taking the time to contact us and provide your feedback.
We take fighting crime and maintaining a safe community very seriously. Many of our projects bring community awareness to our effort to continue to make Flagler County a safe place to live, work, and play. It is also very necessary to let the criminals know they are not welcome in our community. The only place in Flagler County I want criminals to go to is the Green Roof Inn. It is not a joke. Putting criminals in jail is not a laughing matter.
We are solving crime and the daily population is up at The Green Roof Inn. It is not a safe harbor for criminals and neither is Flagler County.
Today, Flagler County is a safer place because of the Green Roof Inn. I know that some people will not agree with some of the comments but the people in the community know that our team is doing a difficult job, and they are doing it well. Awareness is the first step to get community involvement. If the term is disgraceful and makes us look foolish to let criminals know Flagler County is off-limits, I am good with making our community safer.
Please do not hesitate to call upon our agency or email me whenever we may be of service to you.”
Now, a grown person with dignity & respect would tell me thank you for your input or I’ll consider your perspective; even if he didn’t mean it.
But no, he uses the term 3 more times directly to me as if to prove a point – the point that I got was that he is a very small man. That he does in-fact regard all as guilty until proven innocent. That he doesn’t care about the families; mothers/father/grandparents/children/grandchildren/aunts/uncles/etc. that pass by and are effected by his words in disgraceful neon light.
To boast about the population being up at the jail is also foolish ~ but he doesn’t mind looking foolish…and good thing because because he really looks foolish time & time again.
Any good he does (and even I can say there has been some good) is all largely diminished by his foolish choices to puff his ego, disregard citizens of this county as ones that deserve dignity & respect coming in & out of that jail (the families & inmates alike) and to think he is both jury & judge over inmates waiting for their day in court – which, by the way, if they are to be in front of a jury of their peers; our Sheriff screws that up by publicly name-calling them, by planting seeds of who the person is to the public of Flagler County, AKA, a jury of their peers.
Small, very, very small – and it shows its reach through his department where it is simply out of his control. I think he does think it’s all a joke – the lives of the citizens of Flagler County and the struggles of those in need of help are a joke to him.
Now, we are supposed to trust FCSO investigating FCSO? That is laughable. I can show (and have documented outside of Flagler County that FCSO falsified information on public record…so if that, then what else, for real, what else?
Dave says
There are innocent people in the Flagler County jail. Yet they are treated as if they are criminals. Are the police not aware that the system isn’t something that always works and they must look out for the ones who may have fallen threw the cracks?
Mary Fusco says
Dave, why the heck is it always someone else’s fault? How many chances does any one individual need? Why is it that we have those who can live their whole life without ever crossing paths with any law enforcement? Maybe parents need to start teaching their “little darlings” that there are consequences to their actions before they wind up in the green roof inn.
Realist says
Cannot wait for the next election so I can vote against Staly who seems more interested in self publicity.
PeachesMcGee says
Cocaine induced hyperthermia.
Erika Williams-Anthony Fennick’s Mother says
@PeachesMcGee… I just came across this article since I couldn’t bring myself to read most during the first days following the death of my son Anthony Fennick. It was and still is hard to read and relive the unspeakable, disgusting, inhumane negligence that was done to my son.. but also mostly because of people like you and your ignorant comments. And before you go there,, NO…I am NOT making excuses for my son’s actions.. that is not what this is all about.. but regardless.. your comment about, “Cocaine induced” ,.. “Hypothermia”.. is really a perfect example of why I refer to comments like yours, IGNORANT. In case you have not read or heard., My son’s toxicology report came back, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT NEGATIVE FOR ANY ILLICIT OR ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE!!!
So with this being said.. I hope you had a large glass of water next to you to help you swallow your false ignorant statement about what occurred to MY SON, Anthony Fennick.
Regardless of my feelings.. I still wish the best for you and your family.
Dave says
Yes Mary I suppose all things are possible and there may be a few people who go thier whole lives without crossing paths with law enforcement but those people are very few the majority of US citizens do have some sort of run in with Police atleast once in their lives. And the cops dont always get it right.
Josh Davis says
Bravo Pierre!!! It’s a ridiculous publicity stunt that is demeaning to this county. A jail’s primary purpose is to house individuals who are presumed innocent under the Florida and US Constitutions. I’ve represented hundreds of people that have gone to the “Green Roof Inn” and ended up having their charges dismissed. As I’ve stated numerous times in the past, it doesn’t hit home until you’re the one unfortunate enough to be falsely charged. Shame on him. Congratulations to you for having the insight and the guts to speak the truth. Like it or not, the signs out front speak largely about the contempt the Sheriff has for the individuals housed there. Then a kid dies in his custody. Tell me Sheriff, what are we supposed to think?
Downtown says
Slammer, pokie, monkey house, the tank, pen, the zoo, animal house and the Green Roof Inn.Jail has many names so the Sheriff is doing nothing wrong by referring to the jail with a slang term.
“Justice is always violent to the party offending,
for every man is innocent in his own eyes ”
D. Defoe
jim says
from this LEO’s perspective…. the sign is UNPROFESSIONAL and i cringe EVERYTIME i see it
Tangodown says
I recently had a family member incarcerated there. I was treaded like I was a criminal for wanting to visit him.The woman at the visitation desk was rude and condescending, both on the phone, and in person. I thought, if this is how they treat visitors, I can only imagine how they treat the inmates. I wanted to make a complaint, but feared reprisal against my family member.
On another note. I just have laugh at the hypocrisy of Sheriff Staly. fraternizing and sucking to a known felon ( Oliver North ) when it suit him.
Haw Creek Girl says
Staly is worth a boatload of money. If you guys want him beat y’all better get iff your wallets. Whoever runs against him doesn’t stand a chance when he’s outspending them 5 to 1 like he dud Larry Jones.
Richard says
SO based on many of the comments here, it appears that Flagler County is headed toward being a “sanctuary” county where criminals do not need to be housed in the Green Roof Inn but rather hiding in our community posed to commit another crime. Way to go people!
mark101 says
Dave, people are in jail because they broke the law and have fallen through the cracks. . The big issue is why they fell through the cracks. poor parenting , plain stupid and want to seem like a tough guy, peer pressure all go back to their upbringing at home.
I have NO issues with the Green Roof Inn sign. You screw up and break the law, you are going to jail. And maybe the court house needs a sign of its own, ” No Get Out of Jail, freebies anymore”. Pierre you appear to want a weak justice system by your comments, finally we have a sheriff in this county that actually does something and the snowflakes just don’t like it. Well a simple solution, Don’t Break the Law.
Fred says
How about staying out of trouble and avoiding the drugs? Dont put yourself in a position where you would even have to worry about driving past the sign. At what point in ones life do you stop being stupid and grow up? You only live once and that to me is worth more then anything, think about the void in ones family…. after you continually fuck up…
Flagler resident says
Are we forgetting that people are innocent until proven guilty and a large amount of the inmate population has not been to court yet? The deputies and Staley ARE NOT judges. You are assuming that just because every human that goes through the police academy is a human being. There is a reason for checks and balances. Mr Staley DOES HAVE TO LISTEN TO HIS CONSTITUENTS, AND THE LAW. HE IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR COUNTY AND STILL EMPLOYS CROOKED COPS. I HAVE A FLAWLESS RECORD, NEVER BEEN ARRESTED, LIFELONG RESIDENT WITH OPEN EYES. HE HAS PROMOTED THOSE THAT HAVE ABUSED POWER.
DONT THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE A HUMAN WEARS A BADGE THAT THEY ARE ON THE SIDE OF JUSTICE
palmcoaster says
Aside from the county jail current sign. I have to say that has proven at least in our block and close community that current sheriff Staly and his officers and investigators have done at least in our block and close community a very good work catching and ridding us of delinquents mainly propelled by the drug epidemic. If just for that I am very appreciative of sheriff Staly and his officers and I will vote for him as an incumbent. Maybe the sign is just trying to put a bit of sense of humor in such a high risk work that our law enforcement “do day in and day out with their lives on the line to preserve ours”! Please do not kill this messenger and thank you!
Pogo says
@Flagler Live
Your reporting, and commentary, have been outstanding.
@guvnor desantis
So when do you clean house at crooked rick’s fdle? The way fdle shirked its duty in this case is a scandal in itself.
Steve says
Staly and his buddy Mullins can take it down together. They are good at purchasing, putting up and taking down signs.
Palmcoastobserver says
The sign is FALSE ADVERTISEMENT is says that the CRIME STOPS HERE.
Silence dogood says
The sign is unprofessional at best and I can tell you most of the men and women who work there are embarrassed by it. Imprisonment is supposed to be the punishment. There is no reason to try to humiliate people too. It also accomplishes nothing. No one really thinks that a criminal sees that ridiculous sign and goes “oh I better not commit any crimes.” It’s not a deterrent. It’s an extension of his cowboy Rick persona. An attempt to appeal to the voters who want a sheriff who appears tough on crime. How is this any different or any less unethical than when manfre used public money for calendars? It’s just as unethical because the sign serves no legitimate function other than projecting this image for staly. It’s a tool to push for reelection. This one might backfire though as he’s running out of people to blame for his missteps and someone dying in your custody because of a program you started is a huge misstep. Maybe he can sell his bingo machine he bought to pay the lawsuit.
David Dennison says
As you know, many many people tell me Sheriff Staly has accomplished more in 2 years than any sheriff ever. #MFGA
Dave says
Sometimes the police get it 100% wrong and arrest people who did absolutely nothing. Sometimes the court prosecutes those people and sends then to jail and the person can do nothing, if they take it to trial they would have to spend time in prison if they happen to lose their case so they take the jail time. Not everyone in the Flagler County Jail has committed a crime, I know because I spent months there as an innocent person being treated like a criminal so you cant tell me anything!
Tank Abbot says
Richard – Can you further comment what you mean by a sanctuary county? You sound well versed on the subject and would love to hear more.
flagler1 says
God forbid inmates get their feelings hurt.
Jason B says
No one is suggesting that jail should be a luxury hotel, but there should be at least a minimum standard of treatment, that should include adequate food and water, access to basic healthcare, and access to legal representation. The problem isn’t that jail is supposed to be a great place to be, the problem is that this sheriff seems to take such a twisted delight in making sure it’s a hellish dungeon. the judge sent 23 year old Anthony Fennick to jail because he came up positive on a drug test, but Sheriff Staly made sure he got neglected to death.
Concerned Citizen says
@ David Dennison
The Sheriff has actually accomplished very little. If any credit is given it should be the Deputies and Detectives working the street. The main reason Staly gets the credit is he has a camera stuck in face every time an incident occurs.
Does he show up at every incident for publicity or to take charge because he doesn’t trust his command staff and line deputies? If that’s the case then he needs to bring new people in. If it’s for publicity he needs to back off before he puts himself in a bad position.
Case in point the chase on 95 months ago already being handled by multiple Deputies. Then Staly jumps in his car arrives on scene and waves his service weapon around. Then instead of immediately reopening the Interstate they pose for pictures.
If he spent less time playing and more time leading his agency he might actually be able to do his job.
Thomas says
I had no idea that there are so many snowflakes in Palm Coast.
Right says
@ David Dennison, I’m not sure if that’s sarcasm or not but what has he accomplished that others didn’t? Only difference is prior Sheriffs (excluding Manfre) did their jobs without patting themselves on the back and weren’t self seeking of media attention. Staly is good in that he keeps his name out there by showing up on some higher priority calls and becomes a mouthpiece acting like he’s calling all the shots and many of our naive citizens believe it. Most agencies have a PIO for that job. FCSO does have a PIO but I’m wondering what that persons actual job function is because I have yet to see them anywhere or quoted anywhere.
P.S. First RICO against gang members in our county occurred under former Sheriff Fleming. Anyone who lived here then remembers the gang problem this county had. I haven’t seen a comparable accomplishment yet under Staly’s watch.
Well says
So it’s okay that Staley pals around with a known felon (Oliver North)? No one has a problem with that, but some kid with a drug problem, burn him alive in the middle of Town Center to make a point. The hypocrisy, not just from our Sheriff but from members of this community is not surprising. People rarely look at themselves and see they are one pain pill or one drink away from themselves being a criminal. Smarter than that? Really? Doubt it. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone. No one is without sin. Do some research. In this country 1 out of 3 people have a family member with a criminal record.
This kid wasn’t a pedophile, a rapist, or a murderer (those can fade away from existence as far as I’m concerned because they are scum and shouldn’t breathe the same air as me…they are a different class of criminal). This kid had a problem and needed help, more help than people are willing to give (and no, 14- to 21-day rehab and pee-tests is not adequate help for all). Maybe he was given prescription drugs at one point and when the ‘scripts ran out, he turned to something else. Do you know how many drug users in this country become addicted to street drugs looking for a fix because doctors pushed them pain pills? It’s not as easy as you think to stop once you’ve been taking them for a long time. What happened was wrong and people that are okay with this are the ones I worry about, not drug users. Perhaps these are the same people that beat their kids, their wife, their animals. Who knows? I wouldn’t trust them with a ten-foot pole for saying this kid’s death wasn’t a big deal.
Don says
Sheriff Huckleberry….Sheriff Huckleberry……. them varmints are taken over the Green Roof Inn. What you’all going to do about it ? Sheriff Huckleberry….Sheriff Huckleberry……. That there is a mighty fine looking pistol on your hip. How come you can’t shoot it very straight ? Sheriff Huckleberry….Sheriff Huckleberry……… your pants are drooping, and your gun belt is dragging the ground……..Sheriff Huckleberry….Sheriff Huckleberry…… what you’all goin to do with all those mary-ju-wanna smoking criminals in Palm Coast ? Sheriff Huckleberry….Sheriff Huckleberry…….You goin to lock them up at the Green Roof Inn ? YEE-HAW !!!!
DoubleGator says
Obviously Staley does not know how to do his job.
Fredrick says
What happened to this young man is terrible. The investigation needs to be completed to determine what happened and those responsible need to be held accountable. While that will not bring him back I am confident that will happen. Regarding your comments about the Sheriffs sign. Get over it….. So far this Sheriff as impressed me and if ruffling some feathers with a sign is the worst he does then so be it.
Karen says
This is a disgrace ! I dare any civilian who has never been committed of a crime to go spend three days there u will be appalled by the treatment and if u have medical conditions your doomed . Sheriff u think it’s all funny signs , bingo well it’s not someone is gonna wind up killing themselves because u destroy there life without them
Being convicted . The jail and guards and no medical
Care is a joke . I hope they sue the county and outside interrogation comes in u should be ashamed of yourself . We should recoupe these people not put them in the system over n over to make your salary . One day u will answer to the big man what have u done to make a change nothing !!!!!
Mr. J says
Thank you Pierre. My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Anthony Fennick. Sheriff Staly needs to take this incident and actually make a positive change, for years our sheriffs office was a joke, we elected idiot after idiot and crime and drugs stayed the same and then we elected Staly, he is very much trying to clean things up but his opinion of the people before, during and after they go to jail is HORRIBLE. There are good people in jail for bad things and bad people in jail for worse things. Not everyone who gets arrested is a bad person, a lot of them need help some need mental help, some need vocational training, some just need to sit down and rethink their choices….whatever the reason for a person going to jail they are still people!! I despise how our law enforcement officials have become so jaded towards anyone who they see in “the system”. I see it every day on the news or even just by listening to any speech given by Staly, HE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THEM, he certainly doesn’t care if they live or die, in Rick Staly’s mind if you so much as j-walk your right there with people who drink and drive, and they are right there with drug addicts and they are just the same as the dealers and murderers… It’s a shame and I for one will be hoping for a major change because of this… The time for hate and vengeance needs to end… Yes we need law and order, but it must also include justice and compassion…. What we have now is all justice with no compassion and the repeat offender ratio is through the roof… I am not surprised that ANOTHER person has died due to our jail, but it doesn’t make it ok, and for this one our sheriff needs to OWN UP TO HIS FAULTS. I’m not suggesting Staly was directly responsible but his cheap and unconcerned mentality of treatment for those whom he has been charged to care for IS!!! Sheriff Staly you need to take a moment and rethink the value of ALL human life..take down the sign, stop treating inmates like they are just a number, here’s a great idea—GE TO KNOW YOUR INMATES BETTER!!!! Find out why so many use drugs, or why they stole something, not all crimes are committed with the sole purpose of evil.. if you know why someone did something you might be able to help prevent it next time…. A good sheriff solves crimes and catches criminals, a GREAT Sheriff influences the hearts and minds of those at risk and attempts to stop crimes before they happen. These are bad times, please show us the way, and if you can’t show us the way, then forgive us for being lost….
Richard says
Sanctuary definition – “a place of refuge or safety”. Do I need to say more?
Damien says
I have lived all over this country at one time or another and have never felt like I know who is the Sheriff is in town, and can relax if my kid leaves her bike out in the middle of the front yard, I have a reasonable expectation it will be there in the morning. I see Rick Staly all over the place, he is involved and immersed in this community and if he has some tongue in cheek references to the criminally minded? GOOD!!! Let the criminally minded down in Daytona, Holly hill know Palm Coast is off limits, Because Im raising a family here and I don’t want that element anywhere near here. I LOVE that sign. Believe me, The criminals know about it, and it makes them uneasy, as intended. Conduct your nefarious business up this way and know its only a matter of time before you’re seeing that sign out the window from the backseat of a deputy’s squad car, know that. This citizen thinks the FCSO is fantastic! Damien Esmond
Time for this sheriff to be removd from office says
to be a fairly small county it seems that Flagler County has more corruption and issues and inept leadership in this state than any other county. This could have been avoided and fingers can be pointed all day long, but justice for this family is in order! This sheriff should have been at his post doing his job and not playing like a little kid, just as he did in the shooting competition when Peter Young whipped his ass. There was no reason for the sheriff to be out of the country and for us tax payers to be footing the bill for food and who knows what all else. I want to know what we tax payers paid for and exactly how much his out of the county vacation with his minions costs us.
Trailer Bob says
All the empathy here for criminals makes me understand why gthe prisons are revolving doors. If you cannot do the time, then don’t do the crime. Seems to work for most of us out here.
thomas says
Sheriff Staly is an excellent sheriff. Palm Coast is lucky to have him.
Right says
Damien, unless you live in one of our gated communities, (and even that’s questionable) go ahead and leave that bicycle out there. Maybe someone from the Sheriffs Office will be posted at the end of your driveway all night to guard it.
As for the sign, criminals know about it and it makes them uneasy? Have you spoken to them to get their take on it? What do they say about it? Please…let everyone here know as it may change the argument LOL
Right says
What can be more of a deterrent than the death penalty…yet people still commit murder. The Green Roof Inn sign is more about ego than anything else. This is a jail not a prison. Many who find themselves headed there for the first time are young low self esteemed impressionable individuals in the first place. Depending on their crime (a lot are petty) the idea should be to encourage them that there’s a different life to be had, a positive and productive one. That they need to face up to what they did but that it isn’t the end of the world for them. We shouldn’t be driving them further into believing they have no self worth which is what is happening here. When an inmate is released from the jail they should feel that they are better off than when they went in having been encouraged to do better and perhaps it can change the outlook on life for some who were headed down the wrong road.
And I’m no snowflake, just a former big city LEO conservative republican who is sensible and can see the thought process behind this article without bringing politics into it and I agree with most all of it.
Downtown says
The problem is trying to combine law enforcement and corrections under one persons control. These are two completely different career fields and demand a person with education and training in those fields. A cop is not a good jail guard and a jail guard is not a good cop. Two completely different jobs that require special training and certification for each. We should give thought to having a Sheriff over Law enforcement and a Director of Corrections over the jail and court duty who reports to the Commission, not the Sheriff.
Concerned Citizen says
@ Trailer Bob
Not necessarily empathy towards criminals. Especially from me. I think what we are seeing is a County who’s citizens are tired of a showboating Wyatt Earp Playing Sheriff. Staly has gotten comfortable and cocky in his position and has forgotten who he works for. He already thinks he is unbeatable in the next election.
Staly exhibits a lot of the small man syndrome and hes more interested in being in pictures rather than leading his agency From the name calling to fugitive bingo and the ridiculous signage on county property the Sheriff is becoming a joke.. If there is any reduction in crime it’s from the hard working Deputies and Detectives working the street. Not from A Sheriff who rushes to join a chase already handled then waves his gun around.
The numerous scandals would have had you or I fired from civilian employment. Staly has managed to distance himself from everyone and shirk responsibility. Yes he’s responsible even if not directly involved. As Sheriff he leads the entire agency. Not just the glamorous divisions that put him in the paper.
Flagler County deserves better. Please keep that in mind next election.
Kathy says
@Fredrick – The sign is not the worst he does, the sign merely displays his low-level mentality that he exemplifies for those he employs and the community that lead to the death of inmates and does nothing to bring future crime rates down.
His attitude stretches the divide between many community members and the FCSO as a whole and his disdain for others (criminal as well as non-criminal), his support of his employees lack of decorum through the Fire Craig Coffey Show is another display of the abuse of power that doesn’t just rest with him. He encourages it within his department.
It’s getting tough to know who are our decent Deputies are and who are actual criminals. Staly has brought a lack of trust upon the FCSO like never seen before for me.
Concerned Citizen says
@ Thomas
I’m pretty sure you aren’t refering to all of us as “snowflakes” But just in case you are.
I spent 4 years in the Airforce with a tour overseas. I then went on to work in Law Enforcement and then made the switch to Fire Rescue and retired. SO I’ve seen my share of the less glamorous side of society.
No sir I’m no “snowflake” even though I detest and despise our current POTUS. Nor do I over emphathize with our criminal element of society. If you are guilty of your crime then you do need to pay your debt. If you’re innocent then the Justice System needs to do it’s job and set things right to clear you.
I do however expect our elected and appointed officials to do their damn jobs. We don’t pay Staly to play Wyatt Earp and SWAT in Dubai. Especially when he has a chief who does have SWAT experience. We all know he went to distance himself from his latest scandal. We also don’t pay him to ride around with has been public figures who got out of a felony record by politics.
Sheriff Staly just needs to buckle down and do his job. The Sheriff’s Office needs solid leadership and isn’t getting it because Staly likes to play. He’s developed the same cocky attitude Coffey had
If we changed our civilian government we can sure change our Law Enforcement leadership.
HonkeyDude says
Does anyone know how the sheriff was able to board a plane armed? With the sheriff armed with HIS Swollen EGO/Head and his IGNORANCE, isn’t that like a ticking time bomb?
Oops. Now Ive been flagged. Good thing swats not in the country to bust down my door… Or my neighbors by accident
Mary Fusco says
@Dave, sorry but I am 72 and have never had any run ins with law enforcement. I raised 4 children who are ages 50 down to 43 who have never had any interaction with law enforcement. This could be because they were raised by parents who taught them right from wrong and that there were severe consequences for doing wrong. I also have a son in law who is retired from NYPD as a narcotics detective. Trust me, this BS going on in PC is child’s play compared to what he saw in 25 years. He also has 3 sons who have never been involved in any kind of law enforcement situations. Wonder why?? I fully understand what the sheriff is trying to say with his “green roof inn”. In other words, jail is not a 4 star hotel. It is not demeaning in any shape or form. What is demeaning is parents who have kids as young as 14 involved with law enforcement because they only acknowledge that they even have a kid when something bad happens.. Just saying.
Richard says
Way to go Mary Fusco! Spoken from someone who has been there, done that and truly Get’s It!
Patricia Raffaeli says
Just want to say that something needs to be done about that unfortunate situation. Justice for that young man that passed away. About the sign they should keep it up.
Haw Creek Girl says
Well, Mr Josh Davis…I have a suggestion! We had a lawyer as a Sheriff previously…soooooo, how about Davis for Sheriff in ’20? I think it would be quite interesting to have someone educated and with a bit of common sense in charge…definitely a new scenario.
Dave says
Mary, this just goes to show us how parents never truly know everything about their children. But that’s okay they are all Angel’s in parents eyes but dont be suprised if yours aren’t telling you everything
Lorraine says
The jail “conduct was so deliberately indifferent as to Richard nutritional, medical, and/or mental health needs as to violate his right against cruel and unusual punishment,”
Richard is bi polar and schizophrenic and off medication. . While he was in the Volusia County jail in Deland Fl. his medical and mental health care was lacking. Chronic illnesses went untreated, emergencies were ignored, and Richards serious mental illness was failed to receive necessary care.Our son was bipolar and schizophrenic and was sentenced on 5/1/18 and sent to Lake Butler RMC prison in Florida. He was transported FROM VOLUSIA JAIL on a stretcher with an IV and incoherent. Lake Butler immediately sent him to Jacksonville Memorial Hospital where he spent six months and the Doctors tried very hard to keep our son alive. We have 2100 pages of Doctor reports on our son. If the Attorney did the right thing in which the Attorneys obligation is under the rules of professional conduct to protect his client from any risk or harm which he did not do.
11/3/18 RICHARD WAS TAKEN OFF LIFE SUPPORT AND RICHARD PASSED AWAY AT 4:20 PM
Sarah Mickel says
This sheriff is not respectful, we are all innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around,why do you just assume people are guilty ? Some are and some aren’t just because someone says they are you believe it! The people there deserve to have food that isn’t rotten, and not a sandwich with and unknown brown meat on it. For every single meal, every single day. And then get charged for it ,I suggest people start investigate the way this jail treats inmates. You would be appalled. And this book that died, it never should have happened my heart goes out to the family.