Special Report: Why 4,998 died in U.S. jails without getting their day in court

Portraits of Harvey Hill with his family and friends in Jackson, Mississippi, U.S., September 14, 2020. Picture taken September 14, 2020. To match Special Report USA-JAILS/DEATHS REUTERS/Linda So

CANTON, Mississippi (Reuters) - Harvey Hill wouldn’t leave John Finnegan’s front yard. He stood in the pouring rain, laughing at the sky, alarming his former boss' wife. Finnegan dialed 911.

“He needs a mental evaluation,” the landscaper recalls telling the arriving officer. Instead, Hill was charged with trespassing and jailed on suspicion of a misdemeanor offense that could bring a $500 fine.