Video from witness prompts outrage after man dies in Kentucky police custody

The Ashland Police Division is going through criticism after bystander video emerged of a person being taken into custody whereas struggling well being points. The person later died in police custody, based on officers.

The video, a six-minute clip posted to YouTube that options specific language, reveals 4 officers who seem to encompass a person on the bottom in handcuffs. Police and an legal professional for the household have recognized the person as Clarence Wilkerson.

Later within the video, officers acquired Wilkerson as much as his toes, however he appeared to proceed struggling to search out his stability earlier than being positioned at the back of a patrol car. The person recording the video requested if the person would obtain medical consideration. Police didn’t seem to reply.

The video didn’t begin till after Wilkerson was detained.

Civil rights legal professional Ben Crump, who has represented the households of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others who died in incidents with police, said he has been retained by Wilkerson’s family.

“Within the upsetting video, we hear a bystander saying time and again that he wants assist, whereas officers fail to supply help for a number of important minutes,” Crump stated in a press release after he was retained. “We demand that the Ashland Police Division launch all footage they’ve from this incident and conduct a full investigation so the household and the neighborhood can see the complete image of how this man misplaced his life.”

Crump later stated in a tweet that Wilkerson’s “heartbreaking loss of life was preventable.”

Police: Loss of life was presumably associated to pre-existing medical points

Kentucky State Police stated Wilkerson died whereas in custody on March 2. He had excellent warrants when police pursued and detained him. He was taken to the King’s Daughters Medical Heart after being detained, which is the place he was pronounced lifeless, state police stated.

“An post-mortem carried out by the State Medical Examiner revealed Clarence Wilkerson’s reason behind loss of life was not resulting from a traumatic occasion however presumably associated to preexisting medical ailment,” state police stated in a information launch Monday.

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Toxicology studies had been pending, state police stated.

Group members: ‘This isn’t gonna go unnoticed’

The video of Wilkerson’s detainment was posted on Sunday, and has prompted public criticism of how police dealt with the incident. La Juan Wilkerson stated in a Fb put up that the incident “isn’t gonna go unnoticed” and so they’d struggle to get justice.

Kentucky State Police stated Wilkerson died whereas in custody final Thursday. Police had been serving a warrant to Wilkerson when he was taken into custody.

The State Medical Examiner decided Wilkerson’s reason behind loss of life was not resulting from a traumatic occasion however presumably associated to preexisting medical illnesses, based on state police.

Toxicology studies are pending, state police stated.

The video of Wilkerson’s detainment was posted on Sunday, and since then there’s been plenty of public criticism on social media. La Juan Wilkerson, who seems to be associated to Clarence Wilkerson, stated, “this isn’t gonna go unnoticed and we’re right here able to struggle til we get justice for ‘C.’”

Jennifer Chauhan, an Ashland resident, stated in a Fb put up that her coronary heart is damaged for the household and watching the video of Wilkerson’s arrest was troubling.

Members of Wilkerson’s household advised the Daily Independent in Ashland that Wilkerson had a coronary heart situation that required a catheterization in his late 20s. Docs advised the household Wilkerson had no pulse when he arrived on the hospital.

Ashland Police Chief Todd Kelley confirmed to the Every day Impartial that every one officers concerned within the incident had been positioned on administrative go away, per division process.

A GoFundMe hyperlink has been setup to lift cash for Wilkerson’s household. The hyperlink had raised simply over $2,000 Thursday morning.

State police stated an investigation is lively and ongoing.

“Further particulars shall be launched when acceptable,” state police stated in a press launch.