Unruly Taxi Passenger's Death in Midtown Ruled Homicide From Police Restraint: Medical Examiner

[IDemo]

Source: NBC News

Friday, Aug 29, 2014 • Updated at 9:13 PM EDT

A man who went into cardiac arrest after being placed in a body wrap by police outside of St. Patrick's Church in midtown died of homicide caused by physical restraint, the medical examiner has found.

Ronald Singleton, 45, died of homicide caused by "physical restraint by police" last month while he was apparently high on PCP, or angel dust, the medical examiner says.

High blood pressure, heart disease and obesity were also contributing conditions, the medical examiner said.

Police say a taxi cab driver flagged an officer on foot patrol near St. Patrick's Church at East 51st Street and Fifth Avenue just after midnight on Saturday, July 13 and said his passenger was acting "overly irate and irrational" as he cursed and screamed.

Read more: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Man-Dies-Homicide-NYPD-Body-Wrap-Restraint-Midtown-Medical-Examiner-273263311.html

[markpkessinger]

1. Very odd that the article referred to "St. Patrick's Church" . . .

I've lived in NYC for over 32 years, and I have never heard anybody refer to it as anything but "Saint Patrick's Cathedral. I don't see a byline, but i seriously doubt the writer is from New York. Probably some midwestern protestant that doesn't understand the difference between a parish church and cathedral.

[Brigid]

3. This Midwestern Protestant does.

But then, I was a Catholic for several years.

[Hoppy]

4. Sorry.

[markpkessinger]

6. I'm an Episcopalian . . .

. . . and we often find ourselves in the position of having to explain matters Roman Catholic to other protestants!

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. That bothered the shit out of me, too...raised Catholic in NYC

What is this "St. Patrick's Church?"

The Cathedral of Saint Patrick is the seat of the Archdiocese of New York. I have never heard anyone ever refer to it as "St. Patrick's Church" in all my years. Shitty writing and editing of that story, I agree.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. This seems to have been an instance in which the police were acting appropriately.

They had restrained a potentially very dangerous person & were trying to transport him to a hospital. A sad outcome, but pending more information I won't fault the cops on this one.

[Feral Child]

7. Agreed, Jack.

No obvious attack on civil liberties in this instance.

[geomon666]

5. Was this the wrap?