Gore, 74, was arrested after investigators said he stabbed two women in Farmington. 16 days later, he died in custody.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The family of James “Eddie” Gore spoke publicly on March 6, saying they believe Washington County failed him in the final days of his life.
Gore, 74, was arrested on Feb. 9 after investigators said he stabbed two women in Farmington. He later died on Feb. 25 while being transferred from the Washington County Detention Center to hospice care after a judge approved his release. Court records said Gore’s bond was set to $500,000, and his attorneys later argued he was suffering from aggressive brain cancer, progressive dementia, and severe cognitive decline.
At Friday’s press conference, family members and friends focused less on the criminal case and more on how they say Gore was treated while in custody. They described him as a lifelong Washington County resident, a man with deep ties to Farmington and someone they say was known for helping others. Amanda Smith said Gore was “the father that I never had,” and said he stood up for people in the community when nobody else would.
Another family member said “Eddie was kind,” called him a “Grumpy Bear,” and argued the behavior that led to his arrest was medical in nature, not reflective of who he had been throughout his life.
Family members also laid out a series of accusations against Washington County officials.
They said Gore’s health was rapidly declining in jail, that he should have been moved to a hospital, lockdown facility, or hospice setting sooner, and that loved ones were denied the chance to be with him and say goodbye.
One speaker said family and friends made hundreds of calls trying to get help and argued that officials “failed” Gore, saying he “died alone in a concrete box at Washington County Jail.” Others accused county leaders of withholding information, delaying action, and not communicating honestly with the family as Gore’s condition worsened.
The family says they believe that they were robbed of a final goodbye. During the press conference, loved ones said they had hoped Gore would be released in time to spend his last moments in a hospice setting rather than inside the jail. They said their broader goal now is to push for changes so no other family goes through the same experience.
Washington County Sheriff Jay Cantrell provided the following statement in full:
“This was a tragic and unique situation, and I too wish Mr. Gore had been able to be in a hospice facility instead of the county jail. The sheriff has no authority to release someone who is in our detention facility when they are charged with a felony. Only a judge or a prosecutor has that authority. I was in close contact with our contract medical provider, and the medical provider advised they were in contact with two hospice physicians and were following their recommendations. They advised a hospice nurse also came to the facility to check on Mr. Gore. The medical provider was also in close contact with the prosecutor’s office. As soon as we received the order to release, we worked closely with Circle of Life Hospice to get Mr. Gore released and transported to their facility on their timeline. We didn’t respond to any inquiries by news media about Mr. Gore’s passing until we were advised that his next of kin had been notified. I would have preferred Mr. Gore not to have been in our facility at all, but he was charged with a violent felony and had a $500,000 bond. It was a difficult situation for everyone involved.”
Washington County Prosecutor Brandon Carter also sent a statement in full:
“The situation regarding Mr. Gore is certainly saddening, and I feel sympathy for those who were close to him. Ultimately, however, the situation was unavoidable from the perspective of this office. Mr. Gore violently attacked two individuals, one of whom nearly died from their injuries. The Court set a bond commensurate with the offense. My further understanding is that while incarcerated, Mr. Gore’s erratic, violent behavior continued towards jail and medical staff. Under these circumstances, the interest of public safety prevented this office from agreeing to his release. This office did, however, accelerate our process of filing the case so that counsel for Mr. Gore could file the proper motions to petition the Court for his release, which ultimately occurred. It is certainly tragic that logistically the release did not occur before Mr. Gore succumbed to his terminal illness.”
Gore’s death remains under investigation. Authorities previously said he stopped breathing while being moved from the detention center to an ambulance bound for hospice, and Arkansas State Police were asked to investigate.
