And like so many others, he hadn't been able to find work since then. Sherwin argues that is "a pretty low level of methamphetamine" that's comparable to or even lower than concentrations of the drug often seen in 'recreational' use of the drug. During last year's COVID shutdown, Gonzalez lost his job cooking inanItalian restaurant that went out of business during the shutdown. During the encounter, Gonzalez remained in a prone position with pressure applied to his posterior torso and legs, the report said. 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 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. Gonzalez liked to get away from their neighborhood in east Oakland, where gang shootings, robberies and murders are commonplace, and go to nearby Alameda, a city on an island with beautiful homes, tree-lined streets and many parks, his brother said. The decision to detain and arrest Gonzalez was supported by reasonable suspicion and probable cause, but it was also supported by officer safety reasons, District Attorney Nancy OMalleys report says. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan. And while the city had vowed transparency in the months after Gonzalez died, the latest update this week stated: "withholding potentially responsive material at this time remains necessary to avoid substantially interfering with the multiple investigations into the incident. ey. He adored our son and was a good father. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Los Angeles, Column: Supreme Court conservatives may want to block student loan forgiveness. Police said Gonzalez died later at the hospital, but the video shows Gonzalez stopped breathing on site and one officer declaring no pulse as officers began CPR. The cause of Gonzalezs death was the toxic effects of The initialpress releasefrom the Alameda Police said that officers attempted to detain Gonzalez, and a "physical altercation ensued." Thats all, the officer says. Alameda Police "mishandled" the arrest of 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez last week and caused his death, according to the attorney representing the man's family. Both suits claim Gonzalez appeared to be confused and possibly intoxicated at the time, but was not a threat to himself or anyone else and that he wasnt involved in any crime. ALAMEDA The death of an Oakland man who went unconscious while police held him to the ground was determined to be a homicide as a result of the altercation with officers, as well as methamphetamine use,and obesity, according to an autopsy made public this week. 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 autopsy released eight months after the incident found that Mario Gonzalez died due to a heart attack during an April 19 struggle with police. The officers determine that he is resisting, then push him to the ground, according to the video. The family also wants the California Department of Justice to investigate the police departments handling of the case. The Alameda Sheriffs Office and the Alameda County District Attorneys Office are investigating the case, and the city also brought in an outside firm. "Mario was a noble and decent man who didn't deserve to have his life ended in this way.". He is a graduate of Bowie State University in Maryland with a BS degree in communications. Then the cops put Marios hands behind his back and pinned him facedown. Michael Haddad, an attorney representing Gonzalez and his young son, who is also named Mario, said he didnt need an autopsy to deduce that Gonzalezs death was a homicide, or that the police restraint was a factor. Gonzalez died hours before the case against former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin went to the jury. Moreover, officers are trained to take particular care with those like Gonzalez who may be especially vulnerable because of their body weight, intoxication or other factors, said Ed Obayashi, a use-of-force consultant to law enforcement agencies and a deputy sheriff and legal adviser for the Plumas County, California, sheriff's office. It was not clear Friday if that had taken place. Gonzalezs death resulted from the toxic effects of methamphetamine, combined with the physiological stress of restraint by officers and other underlying conditions, according to the Alameda County coroner. A previous Alameda County Sheriffs Office coroners autopsy differed on the cause of death, saying Gonzalez died of a heart attack caused by the stress of the encounter. He was anxious and was prescribed medications to help. We believe it is an accurate and very comprehensive conclusion in the death of Mario Gonzalez.. pizza favorite shuts down after 13 years, plus more closings, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). 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? "Theres nothing in the report that any of the techniques used by the officers were unreasonable or excessive. The footage from the Alameda Police Department shows the man, Mario Arenales Gonzalez, becoming unresponsive while in handcuffs and police officers quickly Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez. "They wanted to keep him from tripping, so they killed him instead? All Rights Reserved. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? 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. "Mario would not have died were it not for being restrained in a prone position, with multiple officers on his back, for over five minutes," Sherwin tells NPR. L.A. wants to evict families living in luxury hotel since botched 2021 fireworks detonation In Alameda County, the sheriff also oversees the coroner's office. In April, police in Alameda, California, kneeled on Mario Gonzalezs back for nearly five minutes before he died. He got depressed. The officers approach to Mr Gonzalez detention and arrest and their use of force appeared reasonable under the circumstances, the report says. Doctors pronounced Gonzalez dead at 11:45 a.m., the autopsy report said. 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. Gonzalez is heard in the video telling officers, I didnt do nothing, OK?, Shortly before Gonzalez stops breathing, one officer asks the other, Think we can roll him on his side?, but the other answers, I dont want to lose what I got, man., Another officer then asks, We got no weight on his chest?, then repeats, No! 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. The loss of Mr. Gonzalez is a terrible tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones.. 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The county coroners office had classified the death of Mario Gonzalez Arenales as a homicide and pointed to the toxic effects of methamphetamine as the leading cause.. Gonzalez family: Police body-worn camera footage shows what we alreadyknew 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. Alameda Police Department CNN The Alameda County Heres what first half of March looks like. 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 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 officers remain on paid administrative leave until all investigations are complete, according to the City of Alameda, which is handling its own independent investigation of the death. The state DOJ told HuffPost that it is their understanding that the case is being handled at the local level.. Officers confronted Gonzalez whose legal name, in the report, is Mario Gonzalez Arenales at a small park on the morning of April 19, after receiving two calls, the first from a nearby resident who said a man was muttering to himself outside the front gate of his house. Sherwin is preparing a federal civil rights lawsuit. Colorado cop shot and killed unarmed man at point-blank range after struggle outside middle school, video shows But family members and civil rights activists stressed that he was not suspected of a serious crime and said there was no need to arrest him. We are still figuring out how to fill the hole left in our family when they took Mario from us, said his mother, Edith Arenales, in a statement from the familys lawyers. Gonzalezs cause of death is not yet known. Gonzalez had a 4-year-old son, also named Mario, and was the main caretaker of his brother, who has autism and turned 23 on Tuesday, his family said. Part of HuffPost Politics. for the officers. Heres how. 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. The autopsy also noted that Gonzalez had more than 20 cuts and bruises. of Gonzalezs death, his younger brother, Jerry, spoke to a crowd of dozens of mourners in the park where he was killed. His family said he was also the main caregiver for his autistic brother, Efrain. 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. After graduating from Coliseum College Preparatory in Oakland, Gonzalez had plannedto go toAlameda College. Richard Winton is an investigative crime writer for the Los Angeles Times and part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 2011. Related Articles An altercation occurred, an officer was seen pinning a man for at least four minutes, and soon Mario Gonzalez was dead. Walking around with that level of meth, he wouldnt have dropped dead at that moment but for the force by police, Haddad said. The case has drawn national attention, with comparisons to the death of George Floyd, particularly for the scant information police initially released in saying Gonzalez died of a medical issue during a scuffle with officers. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The district attorney called the officers detention, arrest and use of force in the Gonzalez case objectively reasonable considering the agency policies, the totality of the circumstances, and the officers stated rationale., The coroners autopsy listed Gonzalezs cause of death as a heart attack brought on by the struggle with officers, as well as morbid obesity, methamphetamine use and alcoholism. Body camera video shows officers attempt to take Mario Gonzalez into custody on April 19, 2021. Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I had a good reason not to tell my friend I was moving, Warriors 3 Things: Steve Kerr entered playoff mode before Golden State's win over Portland. Former Pleasanton cop found not guilty of murder in DUI crash 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. The three officers remain on paid administrative leave, according to the city of Alameda. On April 19, police in the Bay Area city of Alameda responded to a report of an intoxicated man and a possible theft. At least two officers knelt on him until he stopped breathing and lost his pulse. 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. Gonzalez's life began to unravel during the pandemic. 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. The independent autopsy found that, if not for his asphyxial brain injury, Mr. Gonzalez, more likely than not, would not have died. It noted that most people who take methamphetamine do not die of it and that the meth in this case was not the underlying cause of death. As the coroners report found, this autopsy also confirmed that the manner of death was homicide. The independent autopsy confirms what we all saw with our own eyes, Julia Sherwin, an attorney for the Gonzalez family, said in a statement to the Chronicle. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew to space station, Prosecution wraps case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, White House cybersecurity strategy pivots to regulation, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, Rape kits from two women lead to arrest in 1979 murder of one of them, FDA authorizes first at-home test for both COVID and flu, Couple accuses fertility clinic of implanting embryo with cancer genes, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, California man dies after police pin him down, Bodycam video shows California man who died after officers pinned him to ground for 5 minutes. Material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed he was anxious and was a noble decent. In this way. `` a BS degree in communications Mario was a good father dead 11:45. 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