Sitting in her car, Jen Dold was overcome with emotion after receiving her brother’s autopsy report. The single word that struck her the hardest was “accident,” as she clutched the papers tightly. Just before this moment, their mother had called for help to get Alex, who was 29 and undergoing a mental health crisis, to the hospital. Unfortunately, when police arrived, they used Tasers, restrained him, and left him face down until it became clear he wasn’t breathing. Dold couldn’t fathom how such a tragic outcome could be considered an accident; to her, it felt like a homicide.
With her grief turning to anger, Dold was determined to seek justice. She stood outside the county medical examiner’s office, committing herself to fight back against complacency. “No more silence or complacency,” she resolved, vowing never to let this tragic incident be swept under the rug.
In the U.S., it’s uncommon for police officers to face charges when someone dies as a result of their actions. The decisions about how and why a death occurred often lie in the hands of medical examiners and coroners, who determine the cause and manner of death. The reality is that investigations into police-related deaths can be fraught with inconsistencies and potential bias, as unveiled by a recent comprehensive investigation. This analysis found that over a decade, more than 1,000 people died in the U.S. after police physically restrained them using methods intended to avoid lethal force.
Many of these deaths involved individuals who were not a clear threat but were instead in mental distress; in many cases, law enforcement broke protocols meant to ensure safety. Surprisingly, the overwhelming conclusion from these investigations was that many deaths were ruled accidental, often attributing the cause to pre-existing medical conditions or drug use, even when tests didn’t show lethal levels.
Medical officials sometimes alleged “excited delirium,” a controversial diagnosis that has been widely discredited by leading medical institutions. Frequently, these officials based their decisions not on physical evidence, but rather on their beliefs regarding the officers’ intentions.
Political and institutional pressures have influenced how these deaths are categorized, with some medical examiners receiving research and guidance from companies like the one that produces Tasers. The relationship between law enforcement agencies and medical professionals can significantly affect how a death is classified. When medical examiners are closely tied to local police departments, there’s an observable pattern of ruling deaths as accidents more often than in cases where the examiner operates independently.
Different states have unique systems for determining causes of death, which can drastically alter rulings from county to county. Dr. Victor Weedn, who has discussed the variability and inconsistency in forensic investigations, suggested that the independence of medical examiners from law enforcement is crucial to accurate reporting in cases involving police restraint.
The impact of labeling a death as accidental typically leads to fewer prosecutions of officers involved. Of the cases studied in the investigation, only two out of 443 ended in criminal charges. For families seeking justice through wrongful death lawsuits, having a ruling of accident complicates their efforts.
Reflecting on her brother’s experience, Dold, who had taken on a caregiving role for Alex as he struggled with schizophrenia, couldn’t shake the belief that justice was not being served after a night of tragic events that led to his death. Following a frustrating interaction with law enforcement regarding Alex’s mental health crisis, their mother sought help but instead faced aggressive police tactics.
As the events unfolded, the use of force escalated, and the deputies responded with extreme measures, leading to tragic results. Dold insisted that her brother was in a vulnerable state, and yet the officers continued to use violent methods. After Alex was handcuffed and left in a prone position on the ground, it was too late to save him.
Dold sought answers from the investigators but felt they emphasized her brother’s mental illness, seemingly trying to protect the officers involved. Securing an ally in the county’s chief medical examiner turned out to be a disappointment as the conclusion shifted from homicide to accidental death based merely on the officials’ interpretation of intent.
The ongoing debate among forensic pathologists about the relevance of intent in determining the manner of death can create profound implications for how cases are prosecuted. In places where police have significant pull, the result is often a dismissal of accountability. For Dold and her family, the fight to hold those responsible was compounded by the realization that the system wasn’t designed to favor justice for victims of police violence.
Jen Dold’s resolve to pursue legal action led to a long, strenuous process marked by repeated roadblocks and setbacks. When they finally did secure a lawyer, revelations about the handling of the medical examination for her brother surfaced, unraveling troubling changes in conclusions about his death.
As various stakeholders in law enforcement and local governments push back against accidental classifications, Dold finds herself grappling with the lasting impact of her brother’s passing. The anguish of what her brother experienced during his final moments burdens her. One question lingers in her mind: What if their fight had resulted in a different conclusion? What if the word “homicide” had been used instead of “accident”?
While families like Dold’s strive for recognition of the true nature of these tragic deaths, powerful organizations continue to exert influence over how such cases are handled. This dynamic raises concerns about transparency and accountability in forensic investigations, particularly in scenarios involving law enforcement.
The confluence of authority, politics, and medical examinations can dictate the narratives surrounding these deaths, often overshadowing the pursuit of justice that bereaved families desperately seek. This situation reflects broader systemic flaws that require urgent attention, emphasizing the need for independent oversight and reform in how these sensitive investigations are conducted.