A group of demonstrators rallied outside the Forsyth County Hall of Justice in Winston-Salem to mark the release of video that depicts the moments before the death of John Neville. It shows Neville inside the detention center on the morning he suffered a medical emergency and was then restrained in a facedown position.
The crowd of roughly 50 people — ordinary citizens and activists — carried signs reading “Incarcerated Lives Matter,” and “Justice for John Neville.” Among them were several members of Neville's family including his son Sean who warned the group that the video would be difficult to watch.
"The hope is that what's already happening here is going to spread," said Neville. "You know, we want more than just the video to be out there, we want the impact. Things are starting to change here, and hopefully, that keeps cascading."
Neville called on people to channel any raw feelings they may have after watching the video into work for change. Late in the afternoon, Mayor Allen Joines released a statement echoing those sentiments, asking citizens to follow the example of the Neville family, putting the good of the community first.