Police Use Of ‘Spit Hoods’ Criticized After Man’s Suffocation in Rochester
Seven officers have been suspended after Wednesday's release of the body camera footage that showed Rochester, New York, police putting a "spit hood" over a distressed black man's head. The encounter happened in March after Daniel Prude, 41, left a hospital during a mental health crisis. He died.
AP:
Police Use Of Spit Hoods Scrutinized After Black Man's Death
Not five minutes after police slipped a “spit hood” over Daniel Prude’s head, the 41-year-old Black man went limp. A week later, he was taken off life support. Prude’s suffocation in Rochester, New York, in March has drawn new attention to the hoods — mesh bags that have been linked to other deaths — and the frequent reliance on police to respond to mental health emergencies. (Sisak and Balsamo, 9/4)
NPR:
7 Rochester Police Officers Suspended Over Asphyxiation Death Of Daniel Prude
The mayor of Rochester, N.Y., has ordered the immediate suspension of seven police officers over the death of Daniel Prude, a Black man who died of asphyxiation after being restrained during his arrest in March. Police body camera footage of the encounter was released Wednesday, prompting protests and calls for transparency and justice. ... Rochester police arrested Prude in the early hours of March 23 after his brother, concerned about his sibling's safety, had called 911. Prude, 41, had left his brother's house in below-freezing temperatures wearing long johns and a tank top. He had been released from Rochester's Strong Memorial Hospital earlier that night after expressing suicidal thoughts. (Treisman, Fanelli and Moule, 9/3)
In other news on health and racism —
The Hill:
Democrats Unveil Plan Declaring Racism A Public Health Issue
A trio of Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation Thursday that would label racism as a nationwide public health crisis. The bill, titled the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act, was created by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.). (Johnson, 9/3)
AP:
Black Veteran Was 2nd Person In Mental Crisis Deputy Killed
A Texas sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a troubled Black veteran last week near San Antonio also shot and killed a man suffering from a mental health crisis 10 years ago. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office identified John A. Rodriguez, 52, a 14-year member of the force, as the deputy who fired the shot that killed a knife-wielding 30-year-old Damian Daniels on Aug. 22 as he and two other deputies struggled to detain Daniels for mental health treatment. (9/3)