CHULA VISTA SUED IN POLICE-INVOLVED DEATH

Children of man who died want city to name officers

Four siblings whose father died after he was detained by Chula Vista police in March filed two lawsuits Monday, one alleging wrongful death and civil rights violations, the other seeking the names of the officers involved in the encounter.

The newly filed suits come from some of the children of Oral Nunis, including Chula Vista resident and Navy sailor Kimone Nunis. Her 56-year-old father — who owned a small trucking business near Stockton — was visiting her at the time of the encounter, which she witnessed.

During that visit, she said, her father had a panic attack, began to behave strangely and tried to hurt himself. She called 911 for help. Several officers responded, and a struggle ensued when they tried to handcuff the 56-year-old Jamaican immigrant.

During the struggle, they placed him in a leg-restraining device known as the WRAP and put a spit hood over his head. At some point, Nunis became unresponsive. He died at a hospital.

Joining Kimone Nunis in the suit are her adult brothers, Oral W. Nunis and Andre Nunis, and adult sister Ludecea Nunis.

Asked for comment on the new suits, Chula Vista city officials issued a statement that the city “understands and shares the public’s and the family’s desire to have all of their questions answered about this incident. However, it is premature and inappropriate to come to any conclusions at this time.”

The city said the county Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet determined Nunis’ cause of death. “Because of this, and now the threat of litigation,” the city said, police and city officials