Group plans protest over Latino teen's death in Collier County Police custody
Fort Myers Coalition for Justice plans to lead a public protest Saturday at the Collier County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating the death of a teenager who was in its custody. Deputies stopped a car occupied by Fort Myers resident Christopher Hernandez, 19, and three others near a North Naples nightclub on Dec. 28. Hernandez resisted arrest and tried to kick a deputy, according to arrest reports. Deputies used pepper spray and shot him with a 50,000-volt Taser, according to sheriff's reports. He died hours later at Naples Community Hospital. Coalition president James Muwakkil said the man's death and two other similar cases since 2001 have given Collier County law enforcement agencies "a violent image." "We're protesting the sheriff's department of Collier County because we believe the sheriff's department did something wrong," Muwakkil said. "We believe they are more responsible than they say they are." Sheriff's detectives, the state attorney's office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the medical examiner's office have launched a death investigation. The sheriff's office also is conducting an internal investigation to determine if any policies were violated while Hernandez was in custody. Sheriff's officials have said any number of factors may have led to his death but have released little information since Hernandez died. [more]