猫咪社区

New protests broke out in Rochester, New York, on Sept. 2 as a result of another case involving police brutality that led to the death of 41-year-old Daniel Prude, a Black man, several media outlets reported. Mayor Lovely Warren announced the next day that she had while an investigation is under way.

Prude鈥檚 brother Joseph held a news conference outside of Rochester City Hall on Sept. 2, where , after the release of  from March that showed police placing a hood over his brother鈥檚 head and handcuffing him, face down on a below-freezing snowy day, when he was completely naked.

鈥淗ow are you sitting here with your knee in my brother鈥檚 damn back, when he鈥檚 defenseless?鈥� Joseph Prude demanded in his news conference, posted by the Democrat & Chronicle鈥檚 . 鈥淗e鈥檚 got on no damn clothes. Let鈥檚 keep it real. If you want to know the truth, the video footage is going to show the truth. And these people that鈥檚 steady trying to cover this up, let鈥檚 stop this.鈥�

The incident, which Joseph Prude called a , began on March 23 after he called 911 for help with his brother, who was having a mental health crisis. Instead of receiving help, Daniel Prude ultimately 鈥渄ied of asphyxiation after a group of , then pressed his face into the pavement for two minutes,鈥� The Associated Press reported. Prude died seven days after the police encounter on March 30, when he was taken off life support. The medical examiner confirmed Prude鈥檚 cause of death as 鈥渉omicide.鈥� (See the .) 

鈥淚 placed the phone call for my brother to get help, not for my brother to get lynched,鈥� Joseph Prude told . 鈥淲hen I say get lynched, that was full-fledged, murder, cold-blooded鈥攏othing other than cold-blooded murder. The man is defenseless, naked on the ground, cuffed up already. I mean come on, how many brothers got to die for society to understand that this needs to stop? You killed a defenseless Black man, a father鈥檚 son, a brother鈥檚 brother, a nephew鈥檚 uncle.鈥�

Now, with the family and local residents , the city鈥檚 Mayor  (D-N.Y) and police chief  (both of whom are Black) announced Sept. 2 that the . In the video below, Singletary explains why the public just learned of Prude鈥檚 death.

RPD Chief La鈥橰on Singletary on why the public wasn鈥檛 made aware of this case until now.

— Will Cleveland (@WillCleveland13)

鈥淯nfortunately, it has taken some time, and I sympathize with the family because I too when I saw the video, was very disturbed,鈥� . 鈥淚n this particular instance, this is not within our control. It鈥檚 not within our control fairly, because the executive order outlines that this case has to be handled by the Attorney General鈥檚 office.鈥�

Also unfortunate is that while the police who killed Prude still have jobs, officers have for him. As Prude鈥檚 highly upsetting video continues to make its rounds across social media, advocates are tweeting their anger and pushing his story out:

The officers that killed Daniel Prude were never disciplined and remain on active duty. The Rochester DA must open an investigation into what happened that night.

It’s clear that the police can’t be trusted to safely meet the needs of Black people. Our statement:

鈥� NYCLU (@NYCLU)

NEWS: In March, Joe Prude called the police for help. His brother, Daniel, was acting strangely. Instead, video shows Rochester police handcuffing him, mocking him, and kneeling on his back while pushing his face into the ground until he stops breathing.

鈥� The Appeal (@theappeal)

Daniel Prude, a Black man, was pinned to the ground by NY police.

He died 2 months before George Floyd.

Monroe County Medical Examiner ruled Prude’s death a homicide caused by “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.”

Let’s make this a bigger story.

鈥� Chip Franklin (@chipfranklin)

A man was murdered in Rochester NY by RPD. The officers are still on the force. Mayor Lovely knew, Chief Singletary knew, Mike Mazzeo knew. They all told us that we don鈥檛 have these problems in Rochester. Ask Daniel鈥檚 Prude family if we have these problems, ask his sister.

鈥� Danielle Ponder (@danielleponder1)

. It has been edited for 猫咪社区! Media and appears here with permission.