Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren announced her office has suspended seven Rochester police officers involved in the arrest of Daniel Prude immediately, with pay, as the attorney general continues her investigation into Prude's death, and as the city continues its investigation.
She also said that she has reprimanded Rochester Police Chief La'Ron Singletary, but when asked, said she will not replace him as Rochester's police chief. Singletary was ordered to take significant steps to improve police response to mental health calls and address structural racism.
"I have never shied away from taking action and holding our police or anyone who fails in their duties in our community accountable," said Warren. "That is why I am suspending the officers in question today against the advice of counsel and I urge the attorney general to complete her investigation."
The City of Rochester confirmed the names of the seven officers suspended:
- Sgt. Michael Magri
- Officer Josiah Harris
- Officer Paul Ricotta
- Officer Francisco Santiago
- Officer Andrew Specksgoor
- Officer Troy Taladay
- Officer Mark Vaughn
Prude, 41, died while in the custody of the Rochester Police Department on March 30, a week after he was arrested by Rochester police.
"I do not deny we failed him, we failed him when he got off the train in Buffalo, we failed him when he went to the hospital, we failed him when his family called 911, and even in his death, even in his death, we failed him," she said.
Police video released by the Prude family and Free the People ROC shows two officers pinning Prude in the middle of the street on March 23, while another held his head down. A mesh bag was placed over Prude's head after he told police he had COVID-19 and spit at officers.
For two minutes, officers pinned him to the cold pavement, one using a "pushup" stance on Prude's back. He remained naked as he was taken into custody.
Prude lost consciousness during the restraint. He was taken to the hospital and placed on life support. He died a week later.
The mayor says she herself failed Prude, and allowed her "legal mind" to keep her from speaking out about the death of Prude in RPD custody as soon as she became aware of the nature of his death and the circumstances surrounding it. She says she had not seen the video of Prude's arrest until early August.
The mayor released a long list of actions she says her office, the city, and the county are undergoing to combat what she calls systemic racism in the area.
Warren has ordered the RPD to provide any video of any in-custody death or use of force to her for review within 24 hours of the incident.
The mayor says she has reached out to the Prude family, and she looks forward to speaking with them, along with Black Lives Matter protesters and organizers.
Warren also said she wants to work with the Attorney Generals Office Investigating this case. And she says she will work tirelessly to end systemic racism in our community and others.
Following George Floyd's death, and other lethal incidents involving police response, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order to have Attorney General Letitia James' office look into every death of an unarmed citizen in police custody. The order was established so that no local law enforcement agency could run an investigation into its own officers.
Cuomo amended the order to include Prude's case, which happened after the order was signed.
The AG’s office said on Thursday that it began investigating Prude’s death back in April, and says the Rochester Police Department knew about the investigation. The AG's office also says the district attorney's office knew that the AG’s office was investigating. They say the city knew the entire time why the AG’s office was investigating.
Protesters in Rochester mobilized immediately on Wednesday after the announcement regarding Prude's death. The protests drew out at least 200 people, with many calling for the officers involved with Prude’s arrest to be suspended, or charged with his death.
Nine people were arrested Wednesday afternoon in connection to the protests. Warren is calling for any charges lodged against protesters after yesterday's announcement to be dropped.