Denver jail death puts new light on restraint tactic

Associated Press

DENVER

The death of a 112-pound jail inmate who choked on his own vomit and suffocated after Denver deputy sheriffs restrained him during a psychotic episode is drawing new attention to the way he was subdued: face-down on his stomach with five deputies holding him to the floor.

Experts warn the common but risky police tactic of restraining someone in a prone position can be lethal, especially on those with medical problems and the mentally ill, whose distress is sometimes confused with resistance.

While the method has been linked to several deaths nationwide, some in law enforcement say it remains one of the most-effective ways to stay safe while controlling a combative person.

Denver officials on Friday released surveillance footage of deputies’ encounter with Michael Marshall, 50, a homeless man who had been jailed after trespassing and died from “complications of positional asphyxia,” according to the medical examiner.

District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said he wouldn’t file criminal charges against the six deputies involved, saying multiple factors also contributed.

The case, which prompted calls for a federal investigation, recalled the similar death of Marvin Booker, a homeless street preacher in 2010 after Denver deputies shocked him with a Taser while he was handcuffed, put him in a sleeper hold and lay on top of him.