John “LJ” Scott Jr., a Decatur man who died Tuesday after a weeklong stay at in the hospital following a controversial arrest during an apparent mental health crisis, was remembered by a former teammate and two former coaches as a fierce athlete, a friend to all, and someone with an unforgettable smile.

Interim Police Chief Nadis Carlisle Jr. on Tuesday said that he has requested assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct a thorough review of Scott’s death.

Decatur police responded to a 911 call Tuesday at Brookridge Apartments on a report that Scott, 41, had taken her phone. She called again to say the issue was resolved, but when an officer showed up she explained that Scott was experiencing a mental health crisis.

Officers were called back later that evening due to a report of erratic behavior. Police attempted to have Scott voluntarily enter an ambulance, but when he refused, officers arrested him for an active warrant. The situation escalated, and police used a Taser and physical force to gain control.

He was handcuffed and taken to Morgan County Jail, where he later showed signs of distress and was transferred to Decatur Morgan Hospital and then Huntsville Hospital for further care.

According to Morgan County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Mike Swafford, Scott arrived at the jail at approximately 8:50 p.m. and was transported to Decatur Morgan Hospital at approximately 10:10 p.m.

“Mr. Scott initially resisted and was non-compliant when he arrived,” Swafford said. “However, once inside booking this stopped.”

Swafford said Scott was in handcuffs when he arrived and shackles were placed on his ankles to prevent him from kicking staff while going through the booking process.

“The cuffs and shackles were removed once he was placed in a holding cell,” Swafford said. “While in the holding cell, he was conscious and interacted with corrections officers until medical attention was needed.” — Scott remembered

Scott’s former assistant football coach at Austin High School, Mitchell Knox, said Scott inspired positivity everywhere he went.

“When you were around John, there was no sadness,” Knox said. “He was just a big ball of joy.”

Knox said the last time he spoke with Scott was two weeks ago when he saw him at a red light in Decatur.

“I think he was going to work because it was like 7:40 in the morning,” Knox said. “I didn’t even know he was back in Decatur. He was living in Cullman with his wife the last time I talked to him before then.”

Knox said he met Scott when he moved to Decatur in the 10th grade from New York. From a young age, Knox said he could tell Scott was talented and had the potential to be a big playmaker on the field.

“Right off the bat, he was one of the best players, if not the best player we had on the team as a sophomore,” Knox said. “He had his moments when he was stubborn … but he was a great high school football player.”

Standing 6-foot-2 as a sophomore, Scott started at defensive end in his 10th, 11th, and 12th grade years with his coaches moving him to various positions across the defensive line and even trying him at tight end once.

“At that time, he probably weighed 240 or 250, but he was one of the quickest players on the team,” Knox said.

Scott took his talents to the next level, playing football at Jacksonville State University on the defensive line as a nose tackle, according to Knox.

“The nose tackle is lined up right on the center, so he has to draw a double team,” Knox said. “John drew a double team all the time and he would split that double team and still make plays.”

He said Scott led the defensive line in tackles and sacks his entire football career at Austin, which he said led to his scholarship at Jacksonville State. After he graduated from college, he played arena football for the Tulsa Talons and the New Orleans VooDoo, finishing his career in 2011.

Knox said Scott was “just a great person” whose “smile could win over anybody,” and that he’ll always miss his youthful love of life and the joy he brought to those around him.

Elkmont High head coach Joel Schrenk was another one of Scott’s assistant football coaches at Austin, having coached there from 1995 to 2007. He also said Scott was unbelievably fast given his large size.

“He could fly,” Schrenk said. “He was a freaky athlete. He made plays everywhere and could do anything — run, pass, special teams, he could do it all.”

Schrenk said he was always impressed by the way Scott worked to overcome adversity in his life, coming from a housing project in Yonkers, New York before he moved to Decatur.

“When he got to us, he was not a very good student,” Schrenk said. “He really struggled in school and he worked like crazy to get eligible. He did everything we asked him and he worked his tail off.”

Schrenk laughed about the time when former Austin High head football coach Joe Gaddis wanted to play Scott as a tight end.

“I was like, ‘Man, I don’t know if we need to do that, this guy is a Division I football player at defensive line and we don’t need to mess with it,’” Schrenk said. “So, day two of John practicing at tight end, he’s running across the middle and he twists his ankle. Coach Gaddis runs out there to check on him and we figured he’s going to be OK, but anyway, coach looks at me and goes, ‘He don’t need to play offense, you keep him over there with you.’ I said, ‘Well, I told you that all week, but OK.’”

Schrenk said Scott and the other defensive linemen that started alongside him were “the best defensive front I’ve ever had in 30 years.”

Knox, who coached at Austin High from 1993 to 2020, said that Scott did not have a father figure when he moved to Decatur, and he decided to take him under his wing.

“I was just one of those people who happened to be able to get him the mentoring that he needed,” Knox said. “Not just him, but all the other players who was on defense those three years.”

Knox said he knew that Scott had two younger brothers.

He said that while Scott was blessed with natural talent, he matched it with relentless hard work.

“He worked hard to develop his body, because he was a little fluffy when he came to Austin,” Knox said. “He had to get in the weight room, and he had to do it between football and basketball. So, he worked extremely hard in the weight room and in the academic part to get where he needed to go.”

Holly Pond High School head football coach Will McDaniel said he remembered meeting Scott in the 10th grade at Austin High. Both graduated from Austin in 2003.

McDaniel said he remembered seeing Scott, or LJ as his friends called him, walking everywhere because he did not have a vehicle. He started giving Scott rides, and from there a strong friendship formed between them.

From going to watching standup comedy shows at a theatre in Huntsville, to listening to music in McDaniel’s car, to playing NCAA video games, McDaniel said he will never forget the times he spent with his friend.

“I remember LJ had a unique taste in music,” McDaniel said. “I had a Dave Matthews Band CD in my car once and I’m trying to change it to something else, and he’s like ‘Na, man.’ He knew their music and he liked it and I was like, ‘Alright, OK.’ I specifically remember that that he wanted me to keep the Dave Matthews CD in.”

McDaniel started as inside linebacker at Austin, lining up behind Scott as he played defensive end. He recalled one game against Athens High.

“I remember in the fourth quarter, Athens got the ball back after we missed the extra point and there was enough time left where they could run a couple of plays,” McDaniel said. “I remember LJ playing defensive end and they ran toss sweep to his side on the first play. I remember by the time the dude caught the toss, LJ hit the dude up under the mouth. He hit the guy and the ball came out and I don’t know how we didn’t recover it.”

McDaniel said he will always remember LJ for his great personality and the respect he had for those he came across every day.

“He’s got children, he’s got five kids and they are going to miss their daddy,” Schrenk said. “For me selfishly, I’m going to miss that smile and that hug and the contagiousness of his laugh and just how excited he always was when we saw each other. He gave you a bear hug, I’m not talking about a little bitty hug, he gave you a grown man hug.”

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