JAIL DEATH WILL COST OSCEOLA $2.2 MILLION

Daniel Sagers Died After a Bloody, 40-Minute Struggle with at Least a Half-Dozen Guards in the County Jail.

By Chris Cobbs of The Sentinel Staff

KISSIMMEE - The Osceola County Commission approved a $2.2 million settlement Monday with the family of an inmate who died after he was beaten at the county jail last year.

The largest legal settlement in county history, it completed a deal tentatively reached 10 days ago with the family of Daniel B. Sagers.

Officials said the settlement includes $1 million from the county's insurance company, $1.15 million of taxpayer money set aside in an insurance reserve fund and $50,000 from the Sheriff's Office.

Attorney E. Clay Parker of Orlando had filed a $20 million civil suit against the county, Sheriff Charlie Croft, three guards, four nurses and others after Sagers' death on March 12, 1997. Sagers died a week after a bloody, 40-minute struggle with at least a half-dozen guards.

Three guards were later indicted by a grand jury. Two, Milton Santiago and Gail Edwards, accepted plea bargains. Greg Wilson is still awaiting trial on a manslaughter charge.

Parker also recently reached a $3 million settlement with Orange County commissioners in the death of Susan Bennett, a drug addict who died at the county jail after going through withdrawal without medical treatment.

Parker said it is always difficult to set a value on human life.

``You try to determine the facts and reach a settlement,'' he said. ``These were different people with different objectives. Maybe, just maybe, this can be the first step toward a better jail and better treatment of people.''

In the Osceola case, a brother and sister of the late inmate said the county's refusal to admit fault or liability disturbed them.

``No amount of money would have me feel any better about what happened. I mean, what was my brother's life worth?'' said Brenda Sagers Adams. ``I wish this had gone to trial so the county's actions would have been more exposed.''

Archie Sagers, a south Georgia farmer, said, ``The county bosses aren't being held accountable, and if they don't change their ways, something like this will happen again. This is a real black eye for Central Florida. What if this had been a tourist, picked up on the doorstep of Walt Disney World?''

The settlement was approved by three family members, including Archie Sagers and the victim's mother and daughter, Parker said.

Parker said there had been strong sentiment in the family to reject the settlement, which will be distributed among family members.

``A part of them wanted to continue forward with the suit because of the heinous nature of the incident,'' Parker said. ``But in the progress of the negotiations, it became apparent to them that the matter should be settled and put behind them.''

Osceola officials said they felt much the same way.

``You have a family that lost a loved one and county employees who lived with this horror for months,'' said Commission Chairman Chuck Dunnick. ``We've all been through a difficult time, but it's over now and we're going to move forward. We wish the Sagers family well.''

Commissioner Mary Jane Arrington said something positive may emerge from the tragedy.

``We're striving to have a better jail and better relations with the sheriff,'' she said. ``This is the dawn of a new day, and we hope things will be better.''

The payout from the county insurance reserve account won't affect services to taxpayers, said spokeswoman Twis Hoang.

Related articles:

Inmate Dies After Collapsing At Jail

Lawyer To Sue Osceola For Treatment of Inmate

Ghost May Tell of Jail Struggle

Copyright 2000, Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.