The NYPD has been hammered in the press after the choking death of Staten Island man Eric Garner was ruled a homicide in Early August. Now, another Black man who died in police custody four days before Garner has also been ruled a homicide by the city’s medical examiner.
Last Friday, the Medical Examiner issued a statement saying that 45-year-old Ron Singleton, who was reportedly high on drugs and acting strangely in the back of a taxi, was placed in a “protective body wrap” by police on July 13. The cops put Singleton, a large man, in the wrap to restrain him after he allegedly tried to fight with officers. While in transport to Bellevue, Singleton had a heart attack.
More from CNN:
Singleton was placed in a “protective body wrap by the ESU officers,” the police statement said.
An ambulance was taking Singleton to a hospital when he went into cardiac arrest, the statement said. Singleton was dead on arrival at Roosevelt Hospital.
The NYPD said it was cooperating with the Manhattan district attorney’s office investigation of the death.
The medical examiner’s office said factors such as “hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease” and obesity contributed to Singleton’s death, according to Bolcer.
According to comments from the family to PIX 11, information about Singleton’s death was being “kept secret” and he reportedly spoke to his mother while in the cab. The family claims Singleton wasn’t a combative person and was “upbeat” when he spoke to his mother that day.
The NYPD has not issued any further statement.
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