2 Ohio police officers involved in Frank Tyson’s in-custody death charged with reckless homicide

In Ohio, prosecutors have charged two police officers with reckless murder in connection with the death of a man who told cops he was having trouble breathing while detained and put face down on the floor of a social club in Canton. According to Stark County prosecutor Kyle Stone, who spoke to reporters on Saturday, a grand jury brought charges against Canton officers Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch in connection with the death of Frank Tyson, 53, of East Canton, who was arrested soon after a car accident that severed a utility pole on April 18.

Tyson, who was Black, was seen struggling and repeatedly yelling, “They’re trying to kill me” and “Call the sheriff” while being carried to the ground. Before discovering Tyson was experiencing a medical emergency, officers chatted with onlookers and looked through his wallet while handcuffing him face down and telling him he was alright, to calm down, and to stop fighting.

In August, Tyson’s death was declared a homicide by the county coroner’s office, which also listed cocaine and alcohol consumption and a heart problem as contributory factors. Third-degree felonies, according to Stone, carry a maximum sentence of 36 months in jail and a $10,000 fine. In response to a question on Saturday, he stated that there was no proof to back up any bystander claims. The booking of Schoenegge and Burch into the county jail was confirmed by the Stark County sheriff’s office on Saturday.

According to an official, no details were given regarding their potential representative. The two had previously been placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with department rules, according to the Canton police department. In a statement, Bobby DiCello, the attorney for Tyson’s family, said the arrests were a relief because the police responsible for Tyson’s “inhumane and brutal death will not escape prosecution.” But he described it as “bittersweet because it makes official what they have long known: Frank is a victim of homicide.”

According to Hector McDaniel, head of the county’s NAACP chapter, the charges are “consistent with the behavior we saw.” According to the Canton Repository, McDaniel stated, “We think we’re heading in the right direction towards transparency and accountability and truth.” According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Tyson was declared a post-release control supervision violator almost immediately after being released from state prison on April 6 after serving 24 years in connection with a kidnapping and theft case. This was because he neglected to report to a parole officer.