FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Attorney Robyn Blake said Thursday that South Florida has its own unresolved case of an unarmed Black man who was likely killed at the hands of Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies. Sheriff Gregory Tony responded to the accusation hours later on Friday.
Blake is representing the family of Kevon Todd, who Broward County authorities reported died on April 9 in Fort Lauderdale. Deputies had contact with Todd at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport’s Terminal 3.
“It is a great injustice when today ― 84 days after the incident — BSO can only tell us that it’s still investigating the matter,” Blake said, adding deputies “subdued him in a way that he ended up losing his life for it.” Todd was 29.
Tony released a statement Friday saying the Medical Examiner’s Office concluded Todd died of a drug overdose and the deputies did not contribute to his death.
Tony also released deputies’ body-cam video showing Todd was on the floor with his hands up after a deputy moved to subdue him at a TSA checkpoint.
Todd’s relatives said he was sweet and funny. But without a proper diagnosis and effective treatment, his mental health issues tortured him. Blake said Todd was still wearing a red hospital band when he showed up to the airport wanting to travel without money or luggage.
Deputies accused Todd of attempting to breach a security checkpoint after shouting at JetBlue staff. The family doesn’t doubt the accusation. They just don’t think he should have died for it. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue personnel reported Todd was unresponsive when they arrived to FLL’s Terminal 3.
The deputies reported suffering minor injuries during their interaction with Todd. According to BSO, Fire Rescue personnel took Todd to Broward Health Medical Center where a doctor pronounced him dead at 11:25 a.m.
Tony said deputies are turning over the evidence in the case to the Broward County State Attorney’s Office. Blake said Todd’s family wants to see the evidence and is asking anyone with information about Todd’s death to call her at 305-651-5505.