CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The mother of a man who died in the Mecklenburg County jail two years ago filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court this week, the latest in a string of inmate death lawsuits at the detention center.
George Benfield, 43, died from a cardiac arrest linked to a fentanyl overdose on Jan. 20, 2024, hours after he had been admitted to the jail, according to medical documents.
The lawsuit filed on Jan. 14, 2026, said jail staff found syringes on Benfield when he entered the jail. His vital signs indicated causes for concern, he was experiencing shortness of breath, and his urine indicated he had numerous drugs in his system…