Little Mario will hold the officers who killed his Papi accountable in federal court, and we will fight for reforms so no other family will suffer the way Marios family has suffered from this completely preventable and senseless death., Andrea Cortez, the mother of Mario Gonzalezs child, added: Mario was a peaceful, calm person. 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During the interaction with law enforcement agents, he was face-down on the ground (prone) with his hands handcuffed behind his back, and at times the officers were applying pressure to his torso and legs with at least some of the weight of their bodies. The release of the autopsy report is the latest development in the controversial death, which almost immediately drew protests and comparisons to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Those statement did not mention Gonzalez being pinned to the ground. Gonzalez was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. The independent autopsy confirms what we all saw with our own eyes. Gonzalez wont produce any identification, so the officers try to force his hands behind his back to handcuff him, but he does not let his arms go limp. An officer says, I forgive you.. Interim Police Chief Randy Fenn told KTVU-TV said the video was "troubling" and offered his condolences to Gonzalez's family. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? A week after Gonzalezs death, the city identified the officers placed on leave as James Fisher, Cameron Leahy and Eric McKinely. "There was never a point in time where any officer's knee was on Mr. Gonzalez's neck. The three police officers and the civilian employee are on administrative leave. In a case that drew national attention and comparisons to the murder of George Floyd an autopsy report released Friday for a California man who died in April after being restrained by police identifies his manner of death a homicide but cites methamphetamine toxicity as the leading cause. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Our family needs answers: Relatives call for swift transparency in mans death during arrest by Alameda police The lawsuit cites a report released last week by the Alameda county coroners bureau that said the 19 April death of Mario Gonzalez was a homicide. Since joining The Times in 2020, Seidman has served on the breaking news and utility desks, wheres she written about Indigenous communities, wildfires threatening giant trees and fishing the L.A. River. Attorneys for his family dispute the cause. "This is a clear-cut case of death at the hands of police officers, and we expect the district attorney will do a criminal investigation, and they should bring criminal charges against the officers," said Julia Sherwin, a civil attorney representing Gonzalez's 5-year-old son. Gonzalezs death is under investigation by the Alameda County Sheriffs Office and the county district attorneys office. The nearly hourlong video from two officers body cameras shows police talking to Gonzalez in a park after receiving 911 calls that he appeared to be disoriented or drunk. The Alameda County Sheriffs office has asked outside agencies to assist in reviewing the autopsy of Mario Gonzalez, who died in the custody of Alameda police officers. In this image taken from Alameda Police Department body-camera video, officers pin Mario Gonzalez to the ground during an arrest on April 19, 2021, in Alameda, Calif. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Best coffee city in the world? AP Part of HuffPost Politics. , released Wednesday, said that Gonzalez died on April 19, 2021, from restraint asphyxiation, according to forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu. All three remain on paid leave. "They wanted to keep him from tripping, so they killed him instead? Sherwin said she also had sent requests for a federal investigation, not only to US Attorney General Merrick Garland and his chief deputy, Pamela Karlan, but also to the US attorney and the FBI in the Bay Area. And like so many others, he hadn't been able to find work since then. The autopsy released eight months after the incident found that Mario Gonzalez died due to a heart attack during an April 19 struggle with police. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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. They killed him by restraining him in a prone position, with three officers weight on him, for over five minutes, attorney Julia Sherwin said in part. Alison Berry Wilkinson, an attorney representing the officers, told KTVU in Oakland that they "used the lowest degree of force possible given the intensity of Mr. Gonzalez's efforts to evade their grasp.". Part of HuffPost Politics. Gonzalez's life began to unravel during the pandemic. 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? He was anxious and was prescribed medications to help. The civil litigation filed by Gonzalezs family is ongoing and the the Citys legal team is committed to defending the City in the pending litigation, Sarah Henry, public information officer for the City of Alameda told CNN in a statement. The cause of Gonzalezs death was the toxic effects of Heres what the first half of Is Californias drought finally over? ALAMEDA The death of Mario Gonzalez, the 26-year-old man who died just over a year ago in Alameda police custody, was caused by restraint asphyxiation, The initialpress releasefrom the Alameda Police said that officers attempted to detain Gonzalez, and a "physical altercation ensued." The long-awaited autopsy found morbid obesity and alcoholism were also contributing factors in Gonzalez's April 19 death. By Sarah Ruiz-Grossman Apr 27, 2022, 08:56 PM EDT A Warner Bros. The officers approach to Mr Gonzalez detention and arrest and their use of force appeared reasonable under the circumstances, the report says. He is a graduate of Bowie State University in Maryland with a BS degree in communications. His mother is speaking up because other Latinos are dying, Arenales suit says officers put significant weight on his back, shoulders, neck, and legs for over five minutes in violation of generally accepted law enforcement standards, while Mr. Gonzalez struggled to breathe.. Im concerned that the sheriff-coroner is trying to protect the Alameda police, Haddad said, arguing that methamphetamine was a false cause of death because the amount in Gonzalezs system 907 nanograms per milliliter of blood was far too low to cause someone to suddenly drop dead.. The encounter happened a day before former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder in George Floyds death and it came against the backdrop of the police killing of Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old boy in Chicago. Heres how. / CBS/AP. They are still waiting on the autopsy to be released by the coroners office. Its a video that has drawn comparison to that of the George Floyd killing. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! This, in our view, is an unintended, unexpected death from the use of proper training and accepted techniques in the law enforcement industry.. Alameda police have made public body cam footage showing officers pinning a man to the ground for more than five minutes during an arrest last week that ended in his death. 2023 FOX Television Stations, until THU 9:00 AM PST, Mendocino County Coast, until THU 8:00 AM PST, Carquinez Strait and Delta, from THU 12:00 AM PST until THU 9:00 AM PST, North Bay interior valleys, East Bay Interior Valleys, Santa Clara Valley including San Jose, Santa Lucia Mountains and Los Padres National Forest, from SAT 4:00 AM PST until SUN 4:00 PM PST, Southern Lake County, Northwestern Mendocino Interior, Northeastern Mendocino Interior, Southeastern Mendocino Interior, Northern Lake County, High Stakes: Sports Betting in California, originallytold the public that hehad died, Several experts have said that officers have long been trained, Teacher's TikTok plea helps clear thousands of dollars in school lunch debt, Study finds General Motors and Tesla have the most loyal customers, Instacart delivers after twin daughters almost make an $800 purchase, Bald eagles make home in unusual spot at Alameda golf course, Fishermen find remains of missing man inside shark. The independent autopsy, which was requested by the familys attorneys, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, countered the report from the Alameda County coroners office last year, which had called the death a homicide but listed the principal cause as toxic effects of methamphetamine. The report included under other significant conditions the physiological stress of altercation and restraint, as well as obesity and alcoholism.. Gonzalez weighed about 250 pounds (113 kilograms), and police said he appeared to be under the influence. In this image taken from Alameda Police Department body camera video, Alameda Police Department officers pin 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez to the ground during an arrest, April 19, in Alameda, Calif. Gonzalez stopped breathing during the arrest and was pronounced dead at a hospital. No officers were charged. He stopped breathing in a park at the end of a cul-de-sac of well-kept homes with manicured gardens. OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Alameda County Sheriff-Coroners Office finally released the Coroners and autopsy report concerning ", "It was the toxic level of drugs not the actions of the officers," Berry Wilkinson said in an interview. And Mario's 5-year-old son, also named Mario, will hold them accountable in civil court in a federal civil rights lawsuit.". 2023 Cable News Network. An Alameda city spokesperson said Wednesday that the city had no additional comment beyond its statement earlier this month, acknowledging the district attorneys decision and saying it hoped the decision would move the citys independent investigation closer to an end. Mario is shown on the video calmly speaking with the officers for nearly nine minutes. "There was no reason to detain him, let alone kill him. The police should have known to use better tactics with Mario. Once the officers had lawfully attempted to detain Mr. Gonzalez, he physically resisted their efforts the entire time until he ultimately became unresponsive, the district attorneys report says. The sheriffs office is also convening a cause and manner of death committee to review the case before releasing any findings, sheriff spokesman Sgt. Separately, the Police Department is conducting an internal affairs probe into the altercation, and the district attorney is reviewing the case to determine whether to file criminal charges. He got depressed. No officers were charged. Alison Berry Wilkinson, the attorney for the officers, called the situation "very sad" but said the autopsy clearly shows Gonzalez "died from drug toxicity. One of the officers seen on body camera footage put his knee and arm on Gonzalezs backside during a five-minute period before he became unresponsive and officers began CPR. All Rights Reserved. There were also reports that someone stole liquor bottles from a nearby store. We are struggling with these daily routines while carrying the burden of grief.. I think you just had too much to drink today, OK? Body camera footage, released later that month after an outcry from the family, showed officers approach Mario, alone in a park with bottles of alcohol nearby, after a neighbor called about someone being intoxicated. The Alameda County district attorney will not file criminal charges against three police officers who restrained a Northern California man who died in their custody last year. His family said officers unnecessarily escalated what should have been a minor, peaceful encounter with the unarmed man. "Mario was a noble and decent man who didn't deserve to have his life ended in this way.". An attorney for the officers said they did nothing wrong. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan. Nearly eight months after 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez died at the hands of police in Alameda, California, the county coroners office released a report ruling the Latino fathers death a homicide. Charge all those involved so no one else has to lose their loved one.. 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 the statement. Mario Gonzalez Arenales, 26, died last year after an encounter with police officers in Alameda, California. Mario Gonzalez, who died after being pinned to the ground by police officers in Alameda, California, was a father of a 4-year-old child. Family members said Gonzalez had no known health conditions and have previously contended that he did not die from medical complications. I agree with the sheriff-coroner that it is a homicide. The incident is under investigation by the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, the Alameda County district attorney's office, and Louise Renne, a former San Francisco city attorney, who was hired to conduct an independent investigation. Hes going unresponsive, one officer says. 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. ", "The police killed my brother in the same manner that they killed George Floyd," Jerry Gonzalez said at a press conference outside City Hall on Tuesday. "He's hyperventilating, he's obese, apparently he's been drinking Officers need to recognize those factors and take them into consideration.". 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