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American Morning
Latest on Man Who Died in Police Custody
Aired December 02, 2003 - 08:10 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, a coroner's report says that the man who died in the custody of Cincinnati police had an enlarged heart, as well as cocaine and PCP in his system. A videotape, this videotape, shows police officers using their night sticks to subdue Nathaniel Jones, an African-American man. Jones' death is triggering controversy in the city where 14 black suspects have been killed by police since 1995.
Joining us from Cincinnati with the latest, CNN's Brian Cabell -- good morning, Brian.
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Anderson.
A number of investigations are under way here in Cincinnati today. The federal government's looking at this incident on Sunday morning. The police themselves are looking at it and a citizens complaint authority, a panel that was set up after the 2001 riots, also looking at it. They're all looking at the same question, basically, whether police procedures were properly used on Sunday morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back up! Back up!
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It started with a complaint from a restaurant employee. A very large man was acting strange outside. Two police officers responded and immediately encountered 5'9," 350 pound Nathaniel Jones.
A camera mounted on the police car recorded some of the confrontation. It was rolling as a fight ensued, Jones against two much smaller cops armed with night sticks and a chemical spray.
LT. COL. RICHARD JANKE, ASSISTANT CHIEF, CINCINNATI POLICE: Taking into consideration everything that we see on this tape here, it appears to be consistent with our training. These officers responded very well to an assaultive person, a very large person who clearly attacks them very violently.
CABELL: Eventually, backup for the officers arrived and Jones was subdued. But political noticed he needed medical help. He was rushed to the hospital, but died shortly afterwards. Now, questions are being raised.
DR. CALVERT SMITH, CHAPTER PRESIDENT, NAACP CINCINNATI: We are not trying to say that this gentleman was innocent. I don't know what the circumstances were. But I have seen the film. And the kind of beating that I observed would raise questions in anyone's mind.
CABELL: The coroner, who hasn't yet determined Jones' cause of death, does report he had cardiac problems and at least traces of PCP and cocaine in his system.
Racial violence exploded in Cincinnati two years ago after a 19- year-old African-American man was shot to death by police. Many blacks say that's been a pattern here -- black men harassed, sometimes killed by police using undue force. In fact, after the disturbances, the city paid out $4.5 million in settlements to blacks for excessive police force. In the last couple of years, with a federal judge overseeing reconciliation between police and the black community, racial tensions had eased, at least until Sunday morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CABELL: No word yet on when the coroner's report will be completed and when the official cause of death will be disclosed. The coroner does say that apparently the man had some external injuries, but nothing apparently internally to his organs -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Brian Cabell live in Cincinnati.
Thanks, Brian.
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 2, 2003 - 08:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, a coroner's report says that the man who died in the custody of Cincinnati police had an enlarged heart, as well as cocaine and PCP in his system. A videotape, this videotape, shows police officers using their night sticks to subdue Nathaniel Jones, an African-American man. Jones' death is triggering controversy in the city where 14 black suspects have been killed by police since 1995.
Joining us from Cincinnati with the latest, CNN's Brian Cabell -- good morning, Brian.
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Anderson.
A number of investigations are under way here in Cincinnati today. The federal government's looking at this incident on Sunday morning. The police themselves are looking at it and a citizens complaint authority, a panel that was set up after the 2001 riots, also looking at it. They're all looking at the same question, basically, whether police procedures were properly used on Sunday morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back up! Back up!
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It started with a complaint from a restaurant employee. A very large man was acting strange outside. Two police officers responded and immediately encountered 5'9," 350 pound Nathaniel Jones.
A camera mounted on the police car recorded some of the confrontation. It was rolling as a fight ensued, Jones against two much smaller cops armed with night sticks and a chemical spray.
LT. COL. RICHARD JANKE, ASSISTANT CHIEF, CINCINNATI POLICE: Taking into consideration everything that we see on this tape here, it appears to be consistent with our training. These officers responded very well to an assaultive person, a very large person who clearly attacks them very violently.
CABELL: Eventually, backup for the officers arrived and Jones was subdued. But political noticed he needed medical help. He was rushed to the hospital, but died shortly afterwards. Now, questions are being raised.
DR. CALVERT SMITH, CHAPTER PRESIDENT, NAACP CINCINNATI: We are not trying to say that this gentleman was innocent. I don't know what the circumstances were. But I have seen the film. And the kind of beating that I observed would raise questions in anyone's mind.
CABELL: The coroner, who hasn't yet determined Jones' cause of death, does report he had cardiac problems and at least traces of PCP and cocaine in his system.
Racial violence exploded in Cincinnati two years ago after a 19- year-old African-American man was shot to death by police. Many blacks say that's been a pattern here -- black men harassed, sometimes killed by police using undue force. In fact, after the disturbances, the city paid out $4.5 million in settlements to blacks for excessive police force. In the last couple of years, with a federal judge overseeing reconciliation between police and the black community, racial tensions had eased, at least until Sunday morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CABELL: No word yet on when the coroner's report will be completed and when the official cause of death will be disclosed. The coroner does say that apparently the man had some external injuries, but nothing apparently internally to his organs -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Brian Cabell live in Cincinnati.
Thanks, Brian.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
