Omalu wrote in part that Gonzalezs brain injury, caused by the asphyxiation, far exceeds and supersedes the toxicity caused by methamphetamine in his bloodstream as a cause of death. appreciated. The state DOJ told HuffPost that it is their understanding that the case is being handled at the local level.. The three officers remain on paid administrative leave, according to the city of Alameda. I think you just had too much to drink today, OK? AP Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? The police should have known to use better tactics with Mario. Alameda police Officer Erick McKinley was among several officers who responded on April 19, 2021 in the citys Scout Park after a resident called police to claim Gonzalezs presence was scaring his wife. He stopped breathing in a park at the end of a cul-de-sac of well-kept homes with manicured gardens. Crime and Public Safety | Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez. The footage from the Alameda Police Department shows the man, Mario Arenales Gonzalez, becoming unresponsive while in handcuffs and police officers quickly This is the video released by police. Then the cops put Marios hands behind his back and pinned him facedown. In a statement Friday, Alameda Police Chief Nishant Joshi called the death a "tragedy" and said his office will complete a "thorough investigation.". He said he will soon file a federal lawsuit against the city and the officers involved. A man died after being restrained by police in California. She said that the officers noted he was highly intoxicated and stumbling around on a tree stump and thought he might harm himself. The family is demanding that the officers involved James Fisher, Cameron Leahy and Eric McKinley be fired and charged. In an autopsy report released Friday, chief forensic pathologist Vivian Snyder categorized Gonzalezs death as a homicide, while citing other factors, including Adante Pointer, lawyer for Edith Arenales, Gonzalezs mother, told CNN the family is disappointed the officers wont be criminally prosecuted but the decision doesnt come as a surprise. The officers roll Gonzalez over and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Gonzalez's mother, who lost another son two years ago, turned 45 the day after Mario died, his brother said. One officer seems to put an elbow on his neck and a knee on his shoulder. They broke my family for no reason.. He wanted to be able to provide for his 4-year-old son, Mario Jr., whom he shared parenting duties with his ex-girlfriend in Fremont. A spokesperson told HuffPost that the city does not have any substantive update on the investigations., These officers should have been fired the moment that the footage was revealed showing them suffocating Mario to death, Gerardo Gonzalez, his brother, said in a statement from the familys attorney. The last delay was on Tuesday. The case has sparked outrage in the community. The Alameda County coroners office is conducting an autopsy. I know they are already suffering the severe trauma of losing a loved one, Joshi said. Gonzalez, 26, died on April 19, 2021, following an encounter with three Alameda police officers who responded to a call that a person was acting strangely and talking to himself, according to a March 30 report from the Alameda County District Attorneys office. He added that he's "committed to full transparency and accountability into the tragic death of Mr. Gonzalez, and as soon as more information is available, we will continue to share it. He was highly intoxicated in a public place, in a manner where he was unable to care for himself, Berry Wilkinson said. Alison Berry Wilkinson, the attorney for the officers, called the situation "very sad" but said the autopsy clearly shows Gonzalez "died from drug toxicity. The death of Mario Gonzalez should be a wake-up call for the city of Alameda, said LaDoris Cordell, a retired judge and former independent police auditor for the city of San Jose. At that time, the man had a medical emergency., Another news release said that there was a scuffle as officers attempted to place his hands behind his back., The protection of human life is our primary duty as police officers, interim Police Chief Randy Fenn said last week in announcing a series of investigations into the death. The Bay Area was facing its own reckoning with police accountability that only intensified after police released the body-worn camera footage of Gonzalez's desperate final moments. Our family needs answers: Relatives call for swift transparency in mans death during arrest by Alameda police Lisa Fernandez and Evan Sernoffsky are reporters forKTVU. Photo: Lisa Fernandez. Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do, Pac-12 media rights: Our (final) predictions for the revenue, media partners, expansion decisions and more. His first newspaper job was as a Washington Post paperboy. But body camera video released shortly afterward, it was clear that Gonzalez was unarmed. Hes a lovely guy. Mario is shown on the video calmly speaking with the officers for nearly nine minutes. Heres how. Then officers can be seen putting Gonzalezs hands behind his back and pinning him facedown. Mario is shown on the video calmly speaking with the officers for nearly nine minutes. Part of HuffPost Politics. The three police officers and the civilian employee are on administrative leave. All three officers are on administrative leave. It was not clear Friday if that had taken place. Mario Gonzalez Died Of 'Restraint Asphyxiation' By Police, New Autopsy Finds An independent autopsy confirmed what the Latino fathers family had declared: Police in The new autopsy results, released Wednesday, said that Gonzalez died on April 19, 2021, from restraint asphyxiation, according to forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu. The epic California snowpack is inching toward record levels, Massive Tahoe avalanche 'engulfed' 3-story apartment building, city officials hired Louise Renne of the Renne Public Law Group in San Francisco, Opinion: The our city is broken and Im not gonna take it anymore screed, San Francisco is at its most unaffordable point in at least a decade, S.F. At a vigil last week on the first anniversary of Gonzalezs death, his younger brother, Jerry, spoke to a crowd of dozens of mourners in the park where he was killed. Rachel Swan is a breaking news and enterprise reporter. That's a huge boost for the Dubs, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. An independent autopsy confirmed what the Latino fathers family had declared: Police in Alameda, California, killed him, not meth. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Based on the totality of available information, including investigative, autopsy, and laboratory findings, it is apparent that Mr. Gonzalez Arenales experienced cardiopulmonary arrest because of multiple factors, the report said. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. An officer says, I forgive you.. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Gonzalez, 26, died April 19, 2021, as he was being restrained outside 802 Oak St. in Alameda. Police said that Gonzalez then had a "medical emergency. He declined to provide them ID, and in body cam footage, three officers were seen struggling to put Gonzalez into handcuffs and one of them had kneeled for at least two minutes on top of Gonzalez's back. Gonzalezs family filed a legal claim against the city of Alameda last June, and their attorney told the news station KTVU they plan to file a federal lawsuit soon. It's unclear why it took until Friday to release the report, which was obtained through a public records request from the coroner's office. Earlier this month, the Alameda County district attorney announced there would be no criminal charges for the officers. Heres how. Ray Kelly said. Examiners also detected ethanol in Gonzalezs system and found signs of alcoholism and obesity, including an enlarged and dilated heart and an enlarged liver with severe fatty change. California man who died in custody was restrained on his stomach for 5 minutes and lost consciousness, police body camera shows. Lila Seidman is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times yearlong initiative exploring various facets of mental health. "The medical emergency that they're talking about was induced by three officers on his back. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. By Sarah Ruiz-Grossman Apr 27, 2022, 08:56 PM EDT Omalu adds that methamphetamine levels in Gonzalezs blood fell within recreational rather than life-threatening ranges and that alcohol levels were extremely low and did not contribute to his death.. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. The family of an unarmed 26-year-old San Francisco Bay Area man is struggling to understand how a minor confrontation with police led to his death on the same day a jury in Minneapolis began considering similar circumstances in the George Floyd case. Mario Gonzalez died after three officers and a civilian employee pinned him face down on the ground for more than five minutes. By. As with Floyd, officers are routinely trained not to restrain people the way they did Gonzalez, said multiple use-of-force experts who viewed the video at the AP's request. A person holds up a Justice 4 Mario sign while listening in to an April 27 news conference hosted by Mario Gonzalezs family and supporters outside the Alameda Police Department. Sherwin is preparing a federal civil rights lawsuit. Mario Gonzalez Died Of 'Restraint Asphyxiation' By Police, New Autopsy Finds An independent autopsy confirmed what the Latino fathers family had declared: Police in Alameda, California, killed him, not meth. His death was ruled a homicide but also linked to health and drug use, Oakland leaders are scrambling to tackle violence and attract police officers. David DeBolt spent more than a decade reporting on the East Bay, with a focus on Oakland City Hall and the Oakland Police Department, for the Bay Area News Group and The Oaklandside before transitioning to become an editor at the Bay Area News Group overseeing breaking news for The Mercury News and East Bay Times in August 2022. In Alameda County, the sheriff also oversees the coroner's office. former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder in George Floyds death. We are struggling with these daily routines while carrying the burden of grief.. But theyve hit a snag, Randall Emmett, Ambyr Childers settle domestic violence restraining order dispute, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, A $150,000 executive protection dog? At least two officers knelt on him until he stopped breathing and lost his pulse. The second caller said Gonzalez was lingering in Scout Park at the corner of Oak and Powell streets, with what the caller suspected were stolen bottles of alcohol. Crime and Public Safety | He began to eat more and gain weight. Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. Clearly now the onus is on the DA to prosecute these officers for the homicide.. "While we wait for the District Attorneys office to make their decision and with the knowledge of the coroners report, the city will work diligently towards completing its ongoing independent investigation and take appropriate action," Joshi said in his statement. Alameda is 15 miles outside San Francisco. In statements Wednesday, a Gonzalez lawyer and family member further decried police actions that led to his death. The stress of the altercation and restraint combined with prone positioning in the setting of morbid obesity and recent use of methamphetamine placed further strain on Mr. Gonzalez Arenales heart. Related Articles Family members said Gonzalez had no known health conditions and have previously contended that he did not die from medical complications. The emphasis on Gonzalezs drug history incensed an attorney representing the deceased mans son, who accused the coroner of trying to shield the police from scrutiny. Wife of popular Wild 94.9 radio host JV says new information suggests he will not be coming back, Bay Area federal judge orders extradition of woman suspected of killing MSU student in hit-and-run, San Jose: Home raided as part of explosives and narcotics investigation, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life. Attorneys for his family dispute the cause. Four days after the incident, city officials hired Louise Renne of the Renne Public Law Group in San Francisco to launch an independent investigation. "They never wanted to take him to the ground,"Wilkinson said at the time. Off work, he enjoys playing in bands, busking and karaoke. Officers in Alameda, California, arrived April 19 to check out neighbors' reports that Mario Gonzalez was acting strangely in a park and appeared to be breaking the security tags off of alcohol bottles he had in two drugstore baskets. The two autopsy reports do agree that the manner of Gonzalezs death was homicide, or death at the hands of another person, a legal classification that does not necessarily lead to a murder or manslaughter charge. In the department's first announcement about Gonzalez's death, policeoriginallytold the public that hehad died of a "medical emergency" after a "scuffle" with police. 2023 Cable News Network. Mario Gonzalez, a 26-year-old father and east Oakland resident, stopped breathing after an 19 April encounter with police at a park in the city of Alameda, in the San Chief forensic pathologist, Vivian Snyder, cites other significant contributing factors to Gonzalez's death, including the physiologic stress of the restraint by police during the incident as well as alcoholism and morbid obesity. Its a video that has drawn comparison to that of the George Floyd killing. Hes respectful, all the time, Marios mother, Edith Arenales, said. ey. 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