The family of Shaheen Mackey settled a lawsuit with Luzerne County after he died in an incident at the county jail.

In the autopsy report for
Shaheen Mackey, a forensic pathologist says that Mackey died from natural causes.

The case of Shaheen Mackey, who died after being restrained by corrections officers during an apparent medical episode at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility two years ago, went national on social media Thursday afternoon.

Prominent civil rights activist Shaun King called Mackey’s death an “execution” and a “modern day lynching” in a post to Instagram. He later discussed the case on his Twitch channel.

On Instagram, King posted a surveillance video that shows the last 23 minutes of the incident at the county jail on June 6, 2018.

The video, which is posted to The Citizens’ Voice website, was leaked to social media on Wednesday.

It depicts an intense struggle in which corrections officers try to restrain Mackey, who had suffered an apparent violent seizure. Mackey died two days later.

“We’re going to fight to get justice for this man and his family,” King posted, noting that Mackey’s family contacted him about the case.

No charges have been filed in connection with Mackey’s death. County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis cleared the corrections officers involved of any criminal wrongdoing.

In June, county council approved a $3 million settlement of a civil rights suit brought against the county by Mackey’s estate.

Some council members have said the video played a role in their vote to approve the settlement. The video inspired outraged comments after it was released Wednesday.

The outrage continued Thursday, from King and those who posted on his Instagram page.

“What you are seeing here is literally one of the single most disturbing things I have ever seen in my life,” King wrote. “It’s a modern day lynching.⁣⁣”

King described Mackey — a Berwick resident who was 41 when he died — as “a beloved father, son, and friend.”
He said the video shows that Mackey did not attempt to harm the corrections officers and could not have done so even if he wanted to.

In spite of that, the officers “tasered him and tortured him,” King wrote.
“EVERYBODY not only failed this man — they murdered him,” he wrote.⁣

King called on Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Gov. Tom Wolf to investigate.

On his Twitch channel, King said he is exploring “how we can leverage some momentum to make a difference for Shaheen Mackey.”