By Taylor Romine and Nicole Norman, CNN
Seven California Freeway Patrol officers and a registered nurse had been charged by the 2020 loss of life of a person who was pinned to the bottom and repeatedly stated he could not breathe, Los Angeles County District Legal professional George Gascon introduced at a information convention.
Edward Bronstein, 38, died in police custody in March 2020 after officers pulled him over in Los Angeles County on suspicion of driving below the affect.
Officers obtained a warrant to acquire a blood pattern from Bronstein, who initially resisted however later complied when officers restrained him whereas he was on the bottom. Bronstein turned unresponsive and was later pronounced lifeless.
Seven CHP officers had been charged Wednesday with one rely of manslaughter and one rely of assault by officer, whereas the nurse who took a blood pattern from Bronstein was charged with one rely of manslaughter, in accordance with the grievance.
CNN has reached out to attorneys representing the defendants in a federal lawsuit towards them in reference to Bronstein’s loss of life for remark. CNN is working to determine attorneys to symbolize them within the legal case and has additionally reached out to CHP for remark.
In physique digicam video launched final 12 months as a part of a federal lawsuit towards CHP and people allegedly concerned, Bronstein is heard repeatedly telling officers, “I am unable to breathe,” whereas pinned to the bottom.
Those self same three phrases had been repeated by George Floyd lower than two months later earlier than he was killed when he was held by Minneapolis police in Might 2020.
floyd homicide sparked nationwide and international protests towards police brutality and racial injustices, prompting a nationwide reckoning over the best way legislation enforcement treats African-People. The officer who killed Floyd, Derek Chauvin, was convicted of homicide in April 2021.
“These officers had a authorized obligation to Mr. Bronstein,” Gascón stated. “He was in custody. We consider that they failed in his obligation and his fault was criminally negligent, inflicting his loss of life.” He added that “police accountability is crucial for public security.”
Bronstein’s father, Edward Tapia, stated Wednesday that he is “glad it is gotten thus far the place they will prosecute so they do not harm anybody else.”
“I do not know what to say. What occurred is one thing that I can not bear but,” she stated.
Bronstein’s household filed a federal wrongful loss of life lawsuit towards the state of California, CHP and particular person officers who had been on the scene when Bronstein was killed.
The lawsuit, filed within the Central District of California, alleges officers used “extreme and objectively unreasonable” pressure towards Bronstein, who was “unarmed, restrained, and surrounded by uniformed legislation enforcement officers.” That extreme pressure “was additionally the results of the CHP’s negligent employment, negligent retention, and negligent supervision” of officers, in accordance with the lawsuit.
The lawsuit sought unspecified compensatory damages and requested a jury trial.
The eight individuals charged Wednesday shall be arraigned later, the district legal professional’s workplace stated in an announcement. The case stays below investigation by CHP, the workplace stated.
The CNN Wire
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CNN’s Paradise Afshar contributed to this report.