Sheriff: Death of man in police custody ruled accidental by coroner

[damnedifIknow]

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The autopsy results for the man who died while in police custody on May 8 have been released.

According to the Kern County Coroner’s Office, the cause of death for David Silva was hypertension death disease, and the manner of death was accidental, Sheriff Donny Youngblood announced in a press conference Thursday.

The coroner’s report also showed that Silva’s blood alcohol level was .095 and he had meth and prescription drugs in his system at the time of death.

Youngblood also said that the report showed that Silva had not received any blows to the head or neck.

Three deputies did strike Silva with their batons, but only in authorized areas of his body, according to Youngblood.

Deputies also used a hobble to detain Silva, which prevented him from kicking deputies, Youngblood said.

David Kohn, the attorney for Silva’s family, is expected to hold a press conference Friday in response to the autopsy results."

http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Sheriff-Death-of-man-in-police-custody-ruled-accidental-by-coroner-208742011.html

[damnedifIknow]

1. So if they didn't strike him in the head how did this happen?

"It appears deputies use batons to strike Silva who is on the ground. He later died in-custody at Kern Medical Center.

Silva's uncle described what he saw after seeing his nephew's body at the coroner's office. "Bruised up face, chin, ear, busted lip, broken nose, black eye, all marks all over his face," he explained."

http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/Many-unanswered-questions-about-David-Silvas-death/5__Ko0ER8kCYLtjSGP765A.cspx

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. "Hypertension death disease"? That's a new one.

He died of high blood pressure while busy getting beaten to death?

Sounds like that condition they made up when people started getting killed by tasers. What was that, "excitable collapse syndrome," or something?

[DCKit]

3. Ain't that the shit? nt

[damnedifIknow]

4. Yep, not what witnesses report

"Laura Vasquez, 26, a friend of the Quair family, said she also watched both videos — the other shot by a friend of Melissa Quair — and they vividly depicted the violence she witnessed.

Echoing the account of two other people interviewed, Vasquez said the first two deputies at the scene woke Silva, who was sleeping in front of a house, and ordered him not to move. When Silva sat up, looking confused or scared, a deputy hit him in the head, Vasquez said.

“He fell back and then the other officer got out and swung toward his head,” she said. “Mr. Silva was reaching for his head and the officers said ‘stop moving’ and ‘stop resisting.’ He wasn’t resisting.… He rolled on his back and they kept hitting.”

http://www.latinorebels.com/2013/05/15/what-kern-county-sheriff-and-witness-to-silva-beating-death-are-saying/