Overview

• Jefferson County medical examiner’s autopsy ruled Reeder’s Aug. 6, 2024 death a homicide, attributing heart failure to cocaine use and neck restraint during the arrest.
• Reeder’s wife and attorneys say bodycam footage shows an officer kneeling on his neck for over three minutes as he pleaded “I can’t breathe,” while Irondale officials maintain no knee was applied and no excessive force used.
• Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Jefferson County District Attorney found no evidence sufficient for criminal charges against the officers involved.
• Under a 2023 state law, Irondale has withheld public release of the bodycam video, which Reeder’s family viewed privately this month after nearly a year of requests.
• The Reeder family’s legal team has drawn parallels to George Floyd’s case and is considering civil action to secure accountability.