Prosecutor to Investigate Jail Homicide (J. Turner taser death)

[struggle4progress]

TOLEDO -- With Monday's ruling that a Lucas County Jail inmate's death was a homicide, the Lucas County Prosecutor's office says prosecutors are already prepping for a taser investigation. Jeffrey Turner, 41, died in the Lucas County Jail in January. During the process of his arrest and booking in the jail, police and correctional officers shocked Turner 9 times with a Taser. Turner was later found unconscious and declared dead at the hospital.

On Tuesday, Lucas County Coroner Dr. James Patrick issued his finding that the death was a homicide. Patrick said Turner's own heart problems combined with stress from the struggle with police, and the stress from the Taser jolts to cause a fatal cardiac event.

After the homicide ruling was made public, Lucas Counnty's Assistant Prosecutor John Weglian said an independent prosecutor will not be necessary in the case, but the the prosecutor's office will look for additional help. "The investigation should be handled by an independent agency other than ourselves," said Weglian.

He elaborated by saying, "The Lucas County Prosecutor's office does not have the resources available to conduct an investigation of this size. Since the sheriff's dept. personnel were involved in this thing and TPD personnel were involved in this thing, probably we're going to be requesting some sort of assistance through BCI." <snip>

http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=3203145