Video highlights death of man who told police ‘I can’t breathe’
In the reenactment of Hector Arreola’s ultimate moments, the actor portraying him yells for his mom as two police officers maintain him down.
“They’re gonna kill me,” he says as his legs are shackled.
Hector Arreola was 30 years previous in 2017 when he died in police custody in Columbus, Georgia. His household launched a 4-minute video Friday within the hope of bringing renewed consideration to their combat for justice.
Arreola’s case was one of 32 fatal police encounters USA TODAY examined final yr wherein the deceased mentioned “I can’t breathe.”
In addition to the reenactment, Hector’s father’s voice describes how throughout the true incident, Arreola told the officers 16 instances that he could not breathe whereas one of them sat on him. Viewers hear Hector’s voice on the 911 calls he made that evening, and see his bloodied and lifeless physique on a stretcher because it was captured on a police physique digital camera.
“This could be your family member.”
His father, Rodrigo Arreola, desires folks to maintain that in thoughts after they watch it.
In the video he says one of the household’s objectives is to finish certified immunity — the authorized doctrine that shields police officers from being held personally liable in civil court docket in the event that they kill somebody. A choose dominated within the Arreolas’ pending lawsuit that the 2 officers concerned don’t have certified immunity, so the household’s case is continuing to a jury trial in May.
But the Arreolas need all households to have the identical alternative to carry officers immediately accountable with out having to beat the authorized hurdle of certified immunity.
“Under qualified immunity, government officials can only be held accountable for violating someone’s rights if a court has previously ruled that it was ‘clearly established’ those precise actions were unconstitutional,” in line with the Institute for Justice, one of many teams advocating for the tip to the doctrine.
Previously:Families seeking justice in older police killings find hope amid a summer of protests
“A family cannot hold anyone accountable,” Rodrigo Arreola mentioned. “How many people are going to go through this and be completely ignored?”
The Arreola household held a information convention Friday together with the Columbus, Georgia chapter of the NAACP to premier the video, name for an finish to certified immunity and to place strain on the new district legal professional for the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit, Mark Jones. Last yr, Jones told USA TODAY the officers concerned should be charged with aggravated assault and felony murder.
He mentioned he’d convene a grand jury, however has not finished so since taking workplace in January.
“Where’s the action?” Rodrigo Arreola mentioned.
Jones didn’t return a name for remark Friday.
Between 900 and 1,000 individuals are killed every year by police officers, in line with a Washington Post tracker, however a median of seven officers are charged with homicide or manslaughter in such circumstances every year, in line with analysis from Bowling Green State University.
Opinion:Better policing begins with accountability and an end to qualified immunity
On Jan. 9, 2017, Hector Arreola referred to as 911 twice requesting police help and saying somebody was threatening his life and his mom.
When officers arrived, they discovered him performing unusually and referred to as for an ambulance, however earlier than it arrived they grabbed him to arrest him for disorderly conduct and a battle ensued, in line with court docket data and physique digital camera footage.
One officer held down Arreola by the neck and higher again whereas the opposite sat on his decrease again and buttocks, in accordance the data. The battle continued for six minutes and officers stayed on prime of him for 2 further minutes after he was cuffed.
Sixteen instances, court docket data present, Hector Arreola told police he couldn’t breathe. Officers responded that he might. Arreola handed out and was taken to the hospital. He was faraway from life assist the following day.
His trigger of death was initially dominated an accident and attributed to methamphetamine intoxication, however the state medical expert amended the death certificates from unintended to murder final summer season after reviewing the police physique digital camera footage.
More:George Floyd is not alone. ‘I can’t breathe’ uttered by dozens in fatal police holds across U.S.
The video about Hector’s death, by Columbus, Georgia filmmaker Bobby Sampson, amassed practically 90,000 views on Instagram within the first 4 hours it was posted.
“Our intention is to provide a voice, and assistance in healing, to the victims and families who have suffered the injustice of police violence,” Rodrigo Arreola mentioned. “Our goal is to change the laws that provide immunity from wrongdoing to police and the governments that employ them.”
The household is within the course of of organising an official non-profit to additional that aim. In the meantime they’re taking donations through GoFundMe.
