AG releases video of PA man’s death during arrest
TRENTON » A Pennsylvania man who died in Trenton Police custody in April told officers who were on top of him that he couldn’t breathe, police body-camera video shows.
State authorities on Thursday released three videos that captured the in-custody death of Stephen Dolceamore, 29, of Clifton Heights Borough in Pennsylvania, who died during an encounter with Trenton Police officers on April 3 outside St. Francis Medical Center.
“I can’t breathe,” Dolceamore says on one of the videos, as officers struggled to gain control of him on the ground.
He repeatedly shouted for “help” as Sgt. Anthony Manzo and other officer ordered him to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back and at one point told officers they were “smothering” him.
The officers remained on top of Dolceamore for about three minutes after getting him handcuffed, the videos show.
“Give us your hands and stop,” one of the officers says as another repeatedly punched Dolceamore in the side as cops attempted to get both of his hands in handcuffs.
“Come on, my man it’s done. It’s over,” an officer says.
“What did you take,” Manzo asked Dolceamore at one point on the video.
“You’re smothering me right now,” Dolceamore says.
The state Attorney General’s is still investigating Dolcemamore’s death, but the videos provided a glimpse of the officers’ perspective during what turned into a deadly struggle.
Bystander videos previously obtained by The Trentonian showed officers chasing, macing, pummeling, and using their knees to straddle over the emotionally disturbed man’s legs and chest while his hands appeared restrained behind his back.
Under state law, the AG’s office of Public Integrity and Accountability and the New Jersey State Police Homicide Unit by law must investigate whenever someone dies during an encounter with cops or while in custody.
Once the investigation is completed, a grand jury will decide whether criminal charges against the officers involved in his arrest are warranted.
The names of the officers who used force during the encounter have not been released. The Trentonian was able to identify Manzo as one of the officers who used force during the struggle.
Sitting grand juries are suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the videos picks up with Dolceamore repeatedly screaming “help” as officers restrained his arms behind his back while was handcuffed and prone on his stomach.
At least four officers hold down Dolceamore, some of them using knees, as he appeared to be in crisis.
About three minutes into one of the videos, an officer asked whether Dolceamore had a pulse as he appeared limp on the ground. Dolceamore did not respond to Manzo tapping his head.
“Yeah, he has a pulse. He’s just coming off the sh*t that [inaudible],” Manzo says.
“Is he good, man,” another officer asks. “Does anybody got Narcan?”
“It’s super weak. We need to get him to the hospital,” an officer says.
One of the officers is head saying that Dolceamore is “turning purple.”
“Come on, man, wake
up,” one of the officers says as Dolceamore remains motionless in handcuffs on his stomach.
They roll him over on to his back, while another cop urges dispatchers, “possible overdose. You gotta step it up.”
The videos show an officer administering Narcan to the seemingly lifeless man, checking his neck for a pulse and then performing CPR as an
ambulance rushes to the parking lot.
Medical professional emerge from the hospital and begin life-saving measures to no avail.
Investigators met with Dolceamore’s family Thursday to review the autopsy report, which was completed July 21, and the videos.
Authorities have not provided the autopsy report to The Trentonian as part of a
public records request.
The AG’s office did not disclose the cause and manner of Dolceamore’s death, and Dolceamore’s cousin, Gina Rambo, did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment.
The AG’s office waited months to release the footage of the officers’ interaction with Dolceamore.
The videos, and other police records, are at the heart
of an ongoing lawsuit filed by The Trentonian.
The AG said it released the videos Thursday as part an independent prosecutor directive that requires requested records to be released once the investigation is “substantially complete.”
According to the AG’s account, Dolceamore was “behaving erratically” and walking into traffic when officers encountered him
around 11:45 a.m. April 3. He was Dolceamore taken to St. Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased at 12:40 p.m.
Dolceamore ran away from the officers. Bystander video obtained by The Trentonian showed officers cornering Dolceamore in the hospital parking lot and then using force to subdue him.
This is a developing story