Civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced Monday he will represent the family of Steven Jones, a 31-year-old Black man who died in Hartford police custody on February 14, 2026.
The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide last week, citing 'positional asphyxia and restraint-related complications.' Jones was detained after a traffic stop for a broken taillight and was found unresponsive in a holding cell approximately 90 minutes later.
Body camera footage released by Hartford police shows Jones being restrained face-down by three officers for nearly eight minutes, despite his repeated statements that he could not breathe. The officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave pending a state investigation.
Federal investigation launched
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a pattern-or-practice investigation into the Hartford Police Department, focusing on use-of-force incidents involving mental health crises. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the probe simultaneously with Crump's press conference.
Crump, who has represented families in high-profile cases including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, said: 'The same script keeps playing out across America. We are demanding answers, transparency, and accountability.'
The same script keeps playing out across America. We are demanding answers, transparency, and accountability.
The Hartford Police Department declined to comment on the pending litigation. Mayor Arunan Arulampalam announced a $500,000 investment in de-escalation training and mental health crisis response teams.
