2 Cops Face Manslaughter Charges after Murdering Herman Whitfeld. Black Man Told Cops, “I Can’t Breath” as They Held Him Face Down. Hadn't Committed a Crime in Indianapolis, a White Liberal City

From [HERE] Two Indianapolis police officers were indicted on manslaughter charges on Thursday in the death of Herman Whitfield III, a Black man who died in April 2022 after he was restrained by the police when his parents called 911 because he was having a mental health crisis.

In addition to involuntary manslaughter, the officers, Adam Ahmad, 31, and Steven Sanchez, 34, also face felony charges of reckless homicide and battery and an additional misdemeanor count of battery. Officer Sanchez faces a second count of involuntary manslaughter for using a Taser, according to the indictment. The officers could face more than 20 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

The indictment by a grand jury in Marion County, Ind., came nearly a year after Mr. Whitfield’s death on April 25, 2022, and after months of calls from his family for the police to release complete, unedited body camera footage, which they eventually did. Mr. Whitfield’s death followed a series of episodes in which Black men were killed in police custody — encounters that have prompted national protests.

The family of Mr. Whitfield, 39, said in a statement on Thursday that they were “grateful that the criminal process will proceed and hope that justice for their son will prevail.” They also said that they would continue to press a federal civil rights lawsuit that they filed against the City of Indianapolis and all six officers involved in the call about Mr. Whitfield.

On Tuesday, activists joined members of Mr. Whitfield’s family at a news conference, calling on the Justice Department to investigate Mr. Whitfield’s death. They also want the Justice Department to examine how the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department “interacts with minority communities and responds to mental health crisis.”

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement on Thursday that Officers Ahmad and Sanchez, along with the other officers who responded to the call about Mr. Whitfield, would remain on paid administrative duty while an “internal process continues.”

The officers arrived at the Whitfield home early on April 25, 2022, after his mother, Gladys Whitfield, called 911 and requested urgent medical care, saying that he was having a mental health crisis.

When officers arrived at their home, police body camera footage showed, Mr. Whitfield’s parents met them at the door. For most of the 22 minutes captured on video, Mr. Whitfield did not engage with police officers as he walked around the home. The officers and his mother asked Mr. Whitfield, who was naked, to put some clothes on because an ambulance was coming for him.

At one point in the video, Mr. Whitfield is seen quietly sitting in a room. He does not respond to the police and his mother as they speak to him. A few minutes later, Mr. Whitfield is seen running, causing a commotion and calling for water.

“Keep that Taser out,” an officer is heard saying in the video.

Moments later, as Mr. Whitfield is seen running around a table, an officer draws a Taser and pulls the trigger, stunning Mr. Whitfield, who falls by the table and pulls a tablecloth over himself.

“Oh my God,” Mr. Whitfield is heard yelling. “I’m dying. I’m dying.”

The police then handcuff Mr. Whitfield, face down.

“Can’t breathe,” Mr. Whitfield is heard yelling, moving his body as officers try to restrain him.

“Tres, be calm,” Mr. Whitfield’s father is heard saying in the background, calling Mr. Whitfield by a nickname. “Calm down, Tres. It’s Daddy.”

After a few moments, Mr. Whitfield gradually stops moving, and his yells fade to whimpers.

“Those are going to be way too tight,” an officer is heard saying about the handcuffs on Mr. Whitfield. “We’ll deal with that in a minute.”

As the police continue to restrain Mr. Whitfield, face down in handcuffs, he eventually stops moving or speaking.

Within minutes, paramedics arrive at the home, and when it appears that Mr. Whitfield is not breathing, they begin doing CPR on him.

“Why are they doing that if he was OK?” Ms. Whitfield is heard asking.

Mr. Whitfield was pronounced dead at a hospital later that morning. The Marion County Coroner later ruled his death a homicide, caused by “cardiopulmonary arrest in the setting of law enforcement subdual, prone restraint, and conducted electrical weapon use.”