Mario Gonzalez's death ruled a homicide,…
Mario Gonzalez's death ruled a homicide, coroner blames Alameda police who restrained him, meth use
Federal lawsuit expected
Mario Gonzalez is restrained by Alameda police officers on April 19 in a video from an officer's body-worn camera. (Alameda Police Department)
By Nate Gartrell | ngartrell@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: December 10, 2021 at 12:55 p.m. | UPDATED: December 14, 2021 at 5:40 a.m.
ALAMEDA — The death of an Oakland man who went unconscious while police held him to the ground was determined to be a homicide as a result of the altercation with officers, as well as methamphetamine use,and obesity, according to an autopsy made public this week.
The autopsy — released eight months after the incident — found that Mario Gonzalez died due to a heart attack during an April 19 struggle with police. Police body camera video released a week after his death shows multiple officers holding Gonzalez to the ground for five minutes while attempting to arrest him on suspicion of shoplifting, a misdemeanor.
"The stress of the altercation and restraint combined with prone positioning in the setting of morbid obesity and recent methamphetamine (use) placed further strain on Mr. Gonzalez's heart," the report says. "Therefore the cause of death is the toxic effects of methamphetamine, with the physiologic stress of altercation and restraint, morbid obesity, and alcoholism contributing to the process of dying."
Blood tests were positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine, according to the autopsy report. The autopsy also noted that Gonzalez had more than 20 cuts and bruises.
Michael Haddad, an attorney representing Gonzalez's family, said the autopsy "confirms what everyone can see with their own eyes" in the video, and questioned why it took eight months for the report to be released. He said he will soon file a federal lawsuit against the city and the officers involved.
"Walking around with that level of meth, he wouldn't have dropped dead at that moment but for the force by police," Haddad said. "I agree with the sheriff-coroner that it is a homicide. Clearly now the onus is on the DA to prosecute these officers for the homicide."
The release of the autopsy report is the latest development in the controversial death, which almost immediately drew protests and comparisons to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Gonzalez's family filed a legal claim against the city of Alameda last June, and their attorney told the news station KTVU they plan to file a federal lawsuit soon.
The Alameda County Sheriff's Office said in May that it intended to have the autopsy reviewed by outside agencies after its completion. It was not clear Friday if that had taken place.
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A week after Gonzalez's death, the city identified the officers placed on leave as James Fisher, Cameron Leahy and Eric McKinely. A statement issued Friday by Alameda police Chief Nishant Joshi says the officers will remain on leave until the investigation is over.
"While we wait for the District Attorney's office to make their decision and with the knowledge of the coroner's report, the city will work diligently towards completing its ongoing independent investigation and take appropriate action," Joshi said in the statement.
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Police Killing
Nate Gartrell | Contra Costa County courts reporter
Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014.
ngartrell@bayareanewsgroup.com
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