Jailers restrain inmate by neck, he dies

The Caddo County Sheriff’s Office released video of an April incident in which an Oklahoma inmate was restrained by jail staff and died of strangulation.

In the video obtained by The Oklahoman newspaper Monday, Darius Robinson, 41, appears to lunge toward jail staff before being tackled to the floor at Caddo County Jail about 60 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. One staff member appears to restrain Robinson by the neck until he stops resisting. Another staff member handcuffs the inmate while he is lying restrained on the floor.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation last week submitted the results of an investigation into Robinson’s death to the district attorney, OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said Tuesday. No charges have been filed against jail staff.

Caddo County Sheriff Lennis Miller did not immediately return a call Tuesday requesting comment.

Family attorney Malik Z. Shabazz said in a statement he believes Robinson would be alive if not for what he calls the “outrageous excessive force” of jail officials. The attorney, who is president of Black Lawyers for Justice, said he plans to file a federal civil-rights lawsuit.

“I am disappointed that criminal charges were not filed,” Shabazz said. “Justice must be done, and all who are responsible for Mr. Robinson’s death must be held fully accountable.”

An autopsy determined Robinson died from asphyxiation caused by “manual compression of the neck,” according to a report by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Oklahoma. The medical examiner classified Robinson’s death as a homicide.

In the video, staff members attempt to resuscitate the motionless Robinson after placing him in handcuffs. After CPR, Robinson’s legs make spasm-like motions as one staffer holds him on his side and pats him on the back.

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