Black San Francisco Police Recruit Dies After Training Exercise, But His Family Suspects Something More Ominous

A Black police recruit died after participating in a state-mandated training exercise in California. An initial chief medical examiner’s report said he died from a head injury, but the man’s family isn’t buying it.

Jon-Marques Psalms, 30, had found success in tech after moving to the Bay Area from Southern California. Described as “one of the most caring and loving people that anyone could ever meet” by his younger brother Malik Psalms, the police recruit was in “perfect health” and an athlete. He followed his dreams of enlisting in the force and began training to join the San Francisco police department.

About three months in, the unimaginable happened. 

Psalms, according to ABC 7, experienced a medical emergency on Friday, Aug. 22 after a training exercise. The former football player with a blue belt in jiu jitsu later died at a hospital. According to his brother, Psalms died after participating in “The highly controversial “Street Cop Training” exercise.” What makes it so controversial? A December 2023 report from the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) says Street Cop Training promoted unconstitutional and illegal policing tactics, promoted an excessively militaristic or “warrior” approach to policing and glorified violence. 

According to Brad Gage, the Psalms’ family attorney, the initial chief medical examiner’s report said Psalms died from severe head trauma and internal injuries, including kidney failure and liver damage. Now, his family is suing for assault, battery, negligence, civil rights violations and emotional distress. Gage also cited the department’s alleged lack of transparency.

“We don’t know how or when that injury occurred,” said Gage. “His body started to deteriorate and multiple organs started failing despite efforts from medical providers in the hospital to save him.”

“We don’t know enough about what happened. It just doesn’t make sense.” said Psalms’ mother, Christina Psalms. “From the time I arrived at the hospital, no one with SFPD came and approached us to tell us exactly what happened.”

Gage, who said he’s aware of at least 10 other recruits who have died around the country who participated in similar training, also pointed how shortly after Psalms’ died, police leaders took a leave and was transferred. He called the moves “highly unusual” for “both a captain and a lieutenant [to be] removed from a unit immediately after a tragedy like this happened.” San Francisco police told ABC 7 those staffing changes had already been in the works before Psalms’ death. 

In addition to suing, the family launched a GoFundMe to raise money for a second autopsy. “His passing has left our family with more questions than answers, and sadly, the City of San Francisco and the Police Department have not provided us with the clarity and support that we need during this time,” the fundraiser claimed.

It notes that because Psalms “was not an officially sworn-in officer, he was not eligible for life insurance through the department or other benefits that would have drastically helped our family financially navigate this process.” The family has raised just over $56,000 of its $60,000 goal.

“We want accountability, but we also want change. Because it’s beyond our family,” Psalms’ father Marcus said, who also proclaimed his son “didn’t die. He was killed.” Marcus added: “You shouldn’t die in training… right?”