Arrest made in 19-year-old’s death at Albany juvenile detention center
A man has now been charged in the death of a 19-year-old man at an Albany juvenile detention facility in 2022.
Michael Dunsmore, 48, was arrested and charged last week with criminally negligent homicide in the death of 19-year-old Caprist McBrown at the Capital District Juvenile Secure Detention Facility on Oct. 27, 2022.
13Investigates previously reported that McBrown’s family had filed a civil lawsuit last year, claiming the detention facility was at fault for their son’s death. That lawsuit has been resolved.
Now there is a criminal case against Dunsmore for Caprist’s death. Few details have been revealed in the criminal case, but we know from the civil lawsuit that Caprist died from a fentanyl overdose after he was given the drugs and started to feel sick.
The civil lawsuit stated Caprist was given those drugs by an employee at the detention facility. The lawsuit stated he was escorted to his room at the detention facility, and was found unresponsive a few minutes later.
Attorney Daniel Smalls represented Caprist’s family in the civil lawsuit. While he is not involved with the criminal case, Smalls said he did know about Dunsmore and the criminal investigation for a while. He has kept Caprist’s family in the loop.
“They’re well aware of the arrest. As I indicated before, law enforcement have spoken with them as well, have informed them of it as well. The McBrowns are devastated – rightfully so. It’s just another step in the process. It definitely doesn’t bring Caprist back, but definitely a step in the right direction for justice to be served.”
Dunsmore was not specifically named in the civil lawsuit, but two “John Does” were.
Dunsmore turned himself in to Colonie Police last week. He is scheduled to be in court next month.
Caprist was at the detention facility for a role he played in a gang-related shooting in Schenectady in 2020. An innocent woman was shot in the head and died.
The Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office previously told NewsChannel 13 McBrown was a shooter, but not the one who killed the woman.