Latest news with #incustodydeath
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Baltimore police officers involved in in-custody death identified
Ten Baltimore police officers involved in a mental health crisis response that turned into an in-custody death have been identified by the Maryland Attorney General's Office. On June 24, 31-year-old Dontae Melton Jr. was restrained and handcuffed by police after he approached an officer in a marked police car at a red light. Police said he then walked into the middle of the intersection of West Franklin Street and North Franklintown Road. Investigators said Melton died after an ambulance never arrived, and he was driven to the hospital in a police vehicle. The officers were identified as Sergeant Joshua Jackson (8 years), Officer Andre Smith (17 years), Officer Gerard Pettiford, Jr., (7 years), Officer Jacob Dahl (5 years), Officer Kevin Causion (5 years), Officer Ever Cardenas-Huarcaya (3 years), Officer Renardo Spencer (3 years), Officer Jammal Parker (2 years), Officer Darren Hicks, Jr. (2 years), and Officer Ryan Stetser (1 year). Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General says the officers were wearing body-worn cameras. Investigators with the Office of Maryland's Attorney General said Melton approached an officer in a marked police vehicle at a red light. He had walked into the middle of the intersection of West Franklin Street and North Franklintown Road. Authorities said the officer attempted to restrain Melton "for his own safety." Other officers soon arrived at the scene and placed him in handcuffs and leg restraints, according to the preliminary report. They called for a medic. At some point, Melton became unresponsive. No medic ever arrived, and police took Melton to the hospital in their vehicle, where he died almost 5 1/2 hours after he initially encountered the officer. The city's computer-aided dispatch system, also known as CAD, went down during the crisis, according to a review of dispatch audio. It is the main line of communication between police and fire. Melton's mother spoke with WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren, saying she wants answers to why her son died and why there was no ambulance at the scene. "I wake up every morning in pain, and it hurts because I don't sleep at night thinking about him being on the hot pavement by himself and people just around him discussing how we are going to get him to the hospital," his mother Eleshia Goode said.
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
Inquest into in-custody death of Bernard Quewezance begins
Regina Watch WATCH: A public inquest is underway in Regina this week looking into the in-custody death of Bernard Quewezance. Jacob Carr has the details
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
Death inquest for Bernard Quewezance begins
A sign marks the perimeter of the Regina Correctional Centre on Monday Aug. 25, 2008. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Troy Fleece Monday marked day one of the inquest into the in-custody death of Bernard Quewezance - who died at the Regina Provincial Correctional Centre in 2022. With coroner Frederick Kovach presiding, a jury of three Indigenous peoples and three non-Indigenous peoples was deemed appropriate due to Quewezance's Indigenous descent. The 37-year-old was found unresponsive in his cell at the correctional centre on June 2, 2022. EMS was called and staff began life-saving efforts, but he was pronounced dead shortly after. The first witness called on Monday was correctional officer Ronal Orellana. He told the inquest that on the day he died, Quewezance was causing a disturbance, reportedly kicking and elbowing his cell door. When asked if he knew the reasoning behind this behavior, Orellana claimed he did not know. Orellana testified that he and his partner went to Quewezance's cell to remove his shoes, to prevent him from harming himself. According to Orellana, Quewezance then forced his way out of the cell and had to be restrained by a group of officers because he was being combative and non-compliant. Orellana claimed Quewezance was also incoherent at the time but eventually calmed down and was placed back in his cell. Orellana then headed back to his original post, two floors above where Quewezance's cell was. Orellana stated that a short time later he had a gut instinct that something was off – leading the corrections officer to return to Quewezance's cell to check up on him. Orellana testified that he found Quewezance lying face down, not moving or breathing. He called for assistance, and a Code Blue was called soon after. A total of eight witnesses will be called during the inquest, which is expected to last through Wednesday.
