Phillip Reeder’s Family Demands Accountability, Alleges ‘George Floyd-Like’ Death After Viewing Irondale Police Bodycam Footage

The family of Phillip David Reeder, a 52-year-old Alabama man who died in Irondale police custody in August 2024, held an emotional press conference this week, demanding accountability and officer arrests. Their outcry comes after finally being allowed to view full body camera footage of the incident for the first time in 11 months.

Reeder’s wife, Sandra Reeder, and his sons, Kylee and Zechariah Reeder, accompanied by attorneys Henry Daniels and Roderick Van Daniel, spoke outside Irondale City Hall. Sandra Reeder described a harrowing scene from the footage, alleging that officers subdued her husband face down with a knee on his neck for approximately three minutes while he repeatedly pleaded, “I can’t breathe.” The family and their legal team drew direct comparisons to the death of George Floyd, asserting that “the exact same thing happened” to Phillip Reeder, who was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time.

According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, Reeder’s death was ruled a homicide, attributed to hypertensive heart disease associated with cocaine and restraint during the altercation. However, the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office reviewed the case and found no probable cause for criminal charges, a decision the family vehemently disputes.

Attorneys for the Reeder family stated they are pursuing justice, accountability, and transparency, and are actively considering filing a wrongful death lawsuit. “This is a human issue,” attorney Daniels emphasized, highlighting the shared plea of “I can’t breathe” between Reeder and Floyd. The family asserts that Phillip Reeder, a successful business owner, was not armed or dangerous but desperately needed medical help, which they believe he did not receive.

The family described the trauma of watching the footage, with son Kylee Reeder stating, “As a son watching his father be smeared into the ground with blood running down his face, that’s traumatic as it is.” They are committed to ensuring his story is known and that such incidents do not happen to others experiencing mental health crises.

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