Marvin David Scott III

People

Marvin David Scott III

Outcome

Death, Homicide

Marvin David Scott III was a 26-year-old African American man who died while in the custody of law enforcement at the Collin County Jail in McKinney, Texas. On March 14, 2021, Scott was restrained by multiple officers inside the jail after being detained for a misdemeanor offense. During the restraint, Scott experienced medical distress and later died. Seven law enforcement officers involved in the incident were placed on administrative leave pending investigation. The Texas Ranger Division initiated an independent criminal investigation into Scott’s death. On April 29, 2021, the Collin County Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death a homicide. The official cause of death was determined to be “fatal acute stress response in an individual with previously diagnosed schizophrenia during restraint struggle with law enforcement.” Scott’s death drew national attention to the treatment of individuals with mental illness in carceral settings, the use of restraint by law enforcement, and the broader pattern of deaths occurring in custody involving Black Americans.