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165

Kerwin Harris died after a St. Louis cop held him in a chokehold in 2012. It was ruled an accident. (missouriindependent.com)

submitted 5 hours ago by gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

7 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Harris was chased, pinned face-down and held in a carotid-artery chokehold by then-St. Louis police officer Steven Pinkerton, who thought he matched the description of a robber-at-large.

Another officer used a Taser to shock him six times.

When officers finally handcuffed him and rolled him to his back, Harris’ body was limp. Police couldn’t find a pulse. Soon after midnight on Dec. 23, 2012, Harris — a Black 39-year-old father of two — was declared dead.

The police later concluded he wasn’t involved in the robbery.

The St. Louis medical examiner’s office eventually ruled Harris’s death was an accident caused primarily by heart disease.

The death didn’t spur protests, lawsuits or media scrutiny.

The Independent began looking into the 2012 death as part of a months-long investigation into the case of another Black man from St. Louis, Kurtis Watkins, who was convicted of charges related to a shooting based on the testimony of a single eyewitness: Officer Steven Pinkerton.

Watkins and his lawyers never learned about Pinkerton’s involvement in Harris’ arrest and death, which legal experts agree could have been used to challenge his credibility at trial.

Harris’ family, too, was largely kept in the dark about the circumstances of his death. They were suspicious of the police account but had no evidence to the contrary. They were never given the medical examiner’s report or the police report.

Three longtime forensic pathologists who agreed to review the records for The Independent said Harris’ death should have been ruled a homicide, not an accident.

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[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 25 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

If I put someone in a choke hold and they died, I would be in prison.

But give me a badge and it's an accident.