Incompetence or White Supremacy? Medical Examiner quietly Resigns after Video Shows Milwaukee Police Officers Ignoring Black Man Suffocating to Death
/(graphic video, no sound for first minute) White Medical Examiner, White Police Chief, White District Attorney & White Mayor All Uphold the Decisions of White Police Officers to Ignore Dying Black Man in Custody [MORE] .From [HERE] The assistant medical examiner (a white man) whose ruling was changed in the Derek Williams death resigned - last month with no notice to the public. Williams is the Black man who died in the back of a police squad car in the summer of 2011. During his arrest police officers crushed him - they ended up on top of Williams with him facing down - the officer then put his knee in his back according to the report of Milwaukee police Detective Luke O'Day, who interviewed the officers involved. Williams then suffocated to death while handcuffed, naked from a strip search, in the back of a police car. He repeatedly told officers he couldn't breathe for at least 15 minutes between the time of his arrest and his death. On the video the officers repeatedly ignore him as he suffocated to death.
Williams first complained as he laid facedown, Officer Ticcioni pressing a knee across his back, O'Day's report says. "As soon as he released pressure, Williams began squirming, as if trying to break free, and reached around his right side to his right waistband (while still in handcuffs)," according to the report. Ticcioni worried that Williams was trying to grab a gun and "reapplied pressure with his right knee to prevent any further movement from the suspect," the report says. Officers then searched Williams. No gun was found.
They got him to his feet, and "Williams immediately went limp," the report says. Ticcioni "laid him on the ground on his back and observed that he was breathing hard." [MORE] The officers then literally pulled him to his feet and carried him to the cruiser with his feet dragging on the ground. Once in the cruiser the video begins. [MORE]
Dr. Christopher Poulos said Williams died of natural causes.
The chief medical examiner maintains that the term homicide must be used because of the struggle that occurred between officer and Williams that night. The M.E. still maintains that sickle cell crisis was a factor in the death.
A special inquest is scheduled for February in the case.
A spokesperson for the medical examiner's office tells CBS 58 that the Poulos resignation took place in October.
The office declined further comment.
County Supervisor David Bowen released the following statement:
"The delay in making public the resignation two weeks ago of the Assistant Medical Examiner shows no respect to this community, which continues to be concerned about the death of Derek Williams in City of Milwaukee Police custody."
“When the County Executive fires well-respected public servants like Sue Black and Frank Busalacchi, who he had appointed, he makes it a priority to inform the public the same day. But when a community is frustrated by the lack of humanity of officers who refuse to call for medical attention as a resident dies in the back of a police car, the Executive is silent, misleading the public into thinking nothing has happened."
“The resignation of the Assistant Medical Examiner strongly suggests that there has been wrongdoing in this situation, to the degree that he could not continue in his job in good conscience."
“Residents of Milwaukee County should question the Executive’s priorities: Is he more interested in protecting the interests of the residents he represents, or of leaders who protect the status quo of wrongdoing, while relations between the Milwaukee Police Department and community residents deteriorate."
“I call for the County Executive not to succumb to the same old politics that have gotten us into this mess but to enforce accountability and be the honest leader we need him to be."
