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CNN Live At Daybreak
Homicide Ruling in Nathaniel Jones Case
Aired December 04, 2003 - 06:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The anger is mounting in Cincinnati. The coroner rules Nathaniel Jones' death a homicide. Mind you, the coroner did make a point to say his ruling doesn't imply anything. Jones, of course, is the man who died after police hit him with nightsticks.
Brian Cabell is in Cincinnati.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Homicide is the word the coroner is using, but that requires an explanation. Bottom line, though, according to the coroner, Nathaniel Jones was in bad health, he took drugs, but he would probably be alive if he had not gotten in a fight with the police.
(voice-over): The death certificate for Nathaniel Jones will list cardiac dysrhythmia, another term for cardiac arrest, as the official cause of death. It was brought on, the coroner says, by the violent struggle Jones had with Cincinnati police early Sunday morning.
The manner of death, as determined by the coroner: homicide.
DR. CARL PARTOTT, HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO CORONER: The word does not imply hostile or malign intent. It is merely a characterization of the circumstances in which the cause of death came to be.
CABELL: The coroner stresses several factors contributed to Jones' death: his obesity, a history of hypertension and the ingestion of drugs -- cocaine, PCP and methanol. Methanol is sometimes used to heighten the effects of other drugs.
The attorney for Jones' family says he doesn't trust the coroner's findings and will call for a second autopsy.
Jones' grandmother criticizes those whom she says are portraying her grandson as an animal.
BESSIE JONES, GRANDMOTHER: You talk about Skip like he was an animal. He wasn't. Skip (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was just a good, little, old, fat guy (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He wasn't violent.
CABELL: A surveillance tape at the restaurant, where the deadly fight occurred, showed Jones in an apparently animated, but not belligerent, mood shortly before the encounter with police. Jones' family and supporters want to know why he changed and if he was provoked.
The coroner's examination revealed only bruises on the lower part of Jones' body. No damage to the internal organs. But there is suspicion; there is distrust. There will be a second autopsy -- also, many say, likely a lawsuit, also possibly a recall effort to recall Mayor Charlie Luken.
I'm Brian Cabell, CNN, Cincinnati.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired December 4, 2003 - 06:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The anger is mounting in Cincinnati. The coroner rules Nathaniel Jones' death a homicide. Mind you, the coroner did make a point to say his ruling doesn't imply anything. Jones, of course, is the man who died after police hit him with nightsticks.
Brian Cabell is in Cincinnati.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Homicide is the word the coroner is using, but that requires an explanation. Bottom line, though, according to the coroner, Nathaniel Jones was in bad health, he took drugs, but he would probably be alive if he had not gotten in a fight with the police.
(voice-over): The death certificate for Nathaniel Jones will list cardiac dysrhythmia, another term for cardiac arrest, as the official cause of death. It was brought on, the coroner says, by the violent struggle Jones had with Cincinnati police early Sunday morning.
The manner of death, as determined by the coroner: homicide.
DR. CARL PARTOTT, HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO CORONER: The word does not imply hostile or malign intent. It is merely a characterization of the circumstances in which the cause of death came to be.
CABELL: The coroner stresses several factors contributed to Jones' death: his obesity, a history of hypertension and the ingestion of drugs -- cocaine, PCP and methanol. Methanol is sometimes used to heighten the effects of other drugs.
The attorney for Jones' family says he doesn't trust the coroner's findings and will call for a second autopsy.
Jones' grandmother criticizes those whom she says are portraying her grandson as an animal.
BESSIE JONES, GRANDMOTHER: You talk about Skip like he was an animal. He wasn't. Skip (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was just a good, little, old, fat guy (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He wasn't violent.
CABELL: A surveillance tape at the restaurant, where the deadly fight occurred, showed Jones in an apparently animated, but not belligerent, mood shortly before the encounter with police. Jones' family and supporters want to know why he changed and if he was provoked.
The coroner's examination revealed only bruises on the lower part of Jones' body. No damage to the internal organs. But there is suspicion; there is distrust. There will be a second autopsy -- also, many say, likely a lawsuit, also possibly a recall effort to recall Mayor Charlie Luken.
I'm Brian Cabell, CNN, Cincinnati.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
