Coroner Rules That Cincinnati Cops Killed Fatso

Coroner Rules 350-Pound Man's Death a Homicide 
 
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
 
CINCINNATI — The coroner said Wednesday that a struggle with police
was the primary cause in the death of a 350-pound black man whose
scuffle with officers outside a fast-food restaurant has prompted
outcry among black activists in Cincinnati.

Hamilton County Coroner Carl Parrott said Nathaniel Jones (search),
41, suffered from an enlarged heart, obesity and had intoxicating
levels of cocaine, PCP and methanol in his blood. 

Parrott said the death will be ruled a homicide, but added that such a
ruling "should not be interpreted as implying inappropriate behavior
or the use of excessive force by police." 

Jones' death certificate will list a cause of death as an irregular
heart beat because of a stress reaction from the violent struggle,
Parrott said. 

Activists say Jones' death was another example of brutality by
Cincinnati police against blacks in a city that was rocked by race
riots two years ago. 

Jones died Sunday after being taken into custody in the parking lot of
a White Castle restaurant. A police cruiser video camera showed Jones
lunge at officers, who repeatedly hit him with metal nightsticks
during the struggle. 

Jones' body had bruising on the lower half, but did not show signs of
blows to the head or organ damage, Parrott said. 

The coroner's ruling came shortly after lawyers for Jones' family
called for an independent investigation of his death, claiming the
coroner has mishandled past cases. 

"It's hard for me to believe anything that comes out of the coroner's
office," attorney Kenneth Lawson said at a news conference. 

Relatives said Jones was a loving person who never hurt anyone. 

"They talk about Skip like he was an animal," said his grandmother,
Bessie Jones. "He wasn't. Skipper was just a good old, fat jolly
fella. He wasn't violent." 

"Everyone he met, that he touched, loved him," said his aunt, Diane
Payton. "He was never mean."