News / Human Rights

African American inmate, tased, dragged out of cell before death: Video

Wednesday, 09 December 2015 3:23 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 09 December 2015 5:19 AM ]

Chicago police (file photo)

Newly released security camera footage shows how a black inmate at a US jail was repeatedly tased and dragged out of his cell by police before dying at a hospital in 2012.

Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel released the footage Monday along with a statement to decry the incident, which led to death of Phillip Coleman.

“I do not see how the manner in which Mr. Coleman was physically treated could possibly be acceptable,” Emanuel said.

According to the Chicago mayor, “the medical examiner ruled that Mr. Coleman died accidentally as a result of treatment he received in the hospital.”

This, however, “does not excuse the way he was treated when he was in custody,” Emanuel noted.

The footage shows cops at the Calumet District, wrestling Coleman to the ground and handcuffing him after use of Taser against him three times.

The African American was subsequently taken to Roseland Community Hospital, where officers tased him 13 more times, arguing he was “combative” and “uncooperative.”

According to the autopsy report, the 38-year-old man died due to a severe reaction to the antipsychotic drug haloperidol.

Coleman was arrested in 2012 during a fight with his parents.

According to his father, Percy, who is a cop himself, “the police took no helpful action, and they locked him up. And then 12 hours later, he was dead.”

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