‘There was no use of force’ on man who died after arrest, CMPD chief says
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said “there was no use of force” during the arrest nor arrest processing of Harold Jermaine Easter, the man who fell unconscious in police custody and died four days later.
Easter’s death is under investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. His family has called for transparency and asked for an outside agency to investigate.
The 41-year-old Easter was arrested by CMPD on Jan. 23 on drug and traffic charges, according to police. His family has said doctors told them Easter suffered a heart attack while inside a police substation in west Charlotte.
According to police, Easter fell unconscious while in the process of being interviewed and booked. CMPD officials have said officers rendered medical aid to him before he was taken to a hospital by Medic.
Initially, CMPD began two internal investigations, one by homicide detectives and another by internal affairs. On Thursday, the department announced the SBI will review Easter’s death and CMPD officers’ actions. Four CMPD officers and one sergeant are on administrative leave.
Following the SBI investigation, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather will review the findings to determine whether the officers followed the law. CMPD will determine whether its officers followed department policy and procedures.
Since November, Merriweather’s office along with CMPD have used a new policy that establishes an external police investigation whenever a police officer shoots and seriously injures or kills someone.
Easter’s case is being investigated as an “in-custody death,” not as a police use of force case, Putney said.
“This is an extension of the intent of our protocols,” Putney said Friday. “We want to be independent when independence is needed and the family (has) requested.”
SBI investigations
Earlier in the week, family members and friends gathered outside of the CMPD substation where Easter was held before he was transported to the hospital. His loved ones say there are many unanswered questions about his death.
Police have not said how long Easter was in their custody before he fell ill or whether he was alone when he lost consciousness. Friday’s news conference was the first time CMPD officials said publicly that officers had not used any type of “force” when arresting Easter or interviewing him.
Independent investigations involving CMPD officers have become more common since the policy change in November.
“In determining the policy that we put forth a few months ago, this was all about trying to make sure that public trust was at the forefront,” Merriweather said Friday.
Just like before, the loved ones of a person killed or injured by a police officer still has the right to request an outside investigation.
The policy change has long been requested by local activists, especially since 2016 following Keith Lamont Scott’s death. And, the Citizens Review Board recommended the change last summer. National experts have recommended independent reviews in the case of police shootings.
Prior, CMPD was the only police department in North Carolina to routinely conduct its own inquiries of officer shootings.
Recent cases from Charlotte currently under SBI review include:
▪ A shooting this year when an off-duty CMPD officer discharged her gun. Multiple people were attempting to rob her and her husband when she fired her CMPD-issued gun, police said. Aside from a 17-year-old with non-life threatening injuries, no one else was hurt.
▪ Two CMPD officers working off-duty at the Epicentre, who fired their guns in responding to an “altercation,” according to CMPD. Treon McCoy died and one other person was injured, police said.
▪ A Gastonia officer who was shot while working with FBI agents and assisting CMPD officers in a pre-dawn operation to serve a search warrant. Authorities have not said who shot the police officer but have said one CMPD officer fired her gun and has been placed on administrative leave.
