Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
After being kept alive for days following a fight with officers in one of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s jails, a Latino military veteran died late Tuesday when he was taken off life support by doctors at a Phoenix hospital, his family’s attorney told Talking Points Memo. Latino Vet Injured In Arpaio’s Jail Dies | TPMMuckraker:
Ernest “Marty” Atencio was 44. He was injured early Friday morning, just hours after the Justice Department accused the Arizona sheriff of running an agency that regularly violates the rights of Latinos.
“His entire family was by his bedside when he passed,” the family’s attorney, Mike Manning, said. His parents, two brothers and three sons were there to make the decision.
Atencio had been taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in critical condition with injuries from the fight. Doctors later determined he had been shocked at least four times with a Taser, according to Manning.
Earlier on Tuesday, Manning said Atencio was brain dead and his family had flown to Phoenix to decide whether to take him off life support.
Phoenix police arrested Atencio after he was seen kicking on the door of an apartment and then harassing a woman walking down the street. Manning said Atencio suffered from bipolar disorder and had been off his medication.
Phoenix officers processed him and took him to the Maricopa County jail for holding. At the jail, however, Atencio began struggling with officers from both Phoenix and Maricopa County law enforcement, according to statements by both agencies.
Neither agency has detailed exactly what happened during the struggle. The sheriff’s office has yet to release a video of the incident to Phoenix police, Atencio’s family or the public.
The Arizona Republic has more details today Phoenix inmate in scuffle with officers taken off life support:
Ernest "Marty'' Atencio, who lapsed into unconsciousness after being shot by a stun gun after an altercation early Friday at the Fourth Avenue Jail in Phoenix, was removed from life support Tuesday afternoon, his family's attorney announced Wednesday.
"Marty's family conferred with doctors yesterday and talked among themselves and then had him taken off life support,'' attorney Michael Manning said. "He was brain dead.''
Manning said Atencio was pronounced dead shortly after being taken off life support.
Atencio was arrested for assault late last Thursday night by Phoenix police. Officials Monday said that while being booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail, which is run by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Atencio struggled with officers, was shot with a stun gun and placed in a "safe cell."
About 15 minutes later, medical personnel checking on Atencio found him unresponsive, performed CPR and then transported him to a hospital, according to a written statement from Sheriff's Office spokesman Jeff Sprong.
Manning said Atencio's family is waiting for the results of the autopsy, which will take place in the next several days, before deciding on any further action.
"We are giving the Sheriff's Office the benefit of the doubt at this point,'' Manning said. "But we want to see the (jail) video of what happened, and we want to see it now.''
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