The Tribune

THE death of a medical school graduate from The Bahamas while in police custody in New London, Connecticut, has been ruled a homicide, but authorities say that does not mean the officers committed any crime.

According to a report in The Day newspaper, the chief medical examiner’s office ruled recently the October 4 death of 31-year-old Lashano Gilbert was a homicide caused by a fight with police that led to complications with what appeared to be a sickle cell disease condition.

Police say Gilbert was arrested for an attempted carjacking and died after fighting with officers and being zapped with a stun gun twice within eight hours. The homicide ruling means Gilbert’s death was at least in part caused by another person.

According to Chief Medical Examiner Dr James R Gill, Gilbert died because of a “physical altercation (restraint, electric shock, pepper spray) during acute psychosis complicating sickle cell hemoglobinopathy”. A death certificate was filed in the city clerk’s office on Tuesday.

Gilbert died while in police custody following his arrest in connection with what police said was an attempted carjacking on the evening of October 3.

His first contact with police came at 6.32am on October 3 when police were called to the area of 143 Garfield Avenue after receiving a report of a man following a woman and acting irrationally.

Police who made contact with Gilbert said he was acting oddly. There was no formal criminal complaint, however, and at the time he did not appear to be a danger to himself or others, Acting Police Chief Peter Reichard said on Friday.

Gilbert, whose family said was graduated from medical school in Cuba, had arrived unexpectedly in New London a day earlier.

Later, at about 7pm, police said Gilbert had jumped into the open window of a car at Williams and Broad Streets, motioning as though he was attempting to stab the female driver, though he did not have a weapon. Police said Gilbert was in an altered state of mind and speaking in a bizarre manner.

Police deployed a Taser when he rushed at an officer at the scene, APC Reichard said. Gilbert was taken to Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, where he was restrained due to erratic behaviour and the Taser prongs were removed. He was released back into police custody.

Gilbert was locked in a holding cell at headquarters where police said he was calm for a time and spent time performing calisthenics. At one point an officer entered Gilbert’s holding cell because Gilbert started twisting a pair of pants as if to make a rope, according to police. Police said Gilbert pushed officers away from the open cell door and escaped into a booking area, threw objects at officers, grabbed an officer’s Taser and held a female officer in a headlock. He also bit an officer several times on her foot and ankle while police tried to handcuff him.

APC Reichard said Gilbert had tried to rip a breath alcohol tester machine off the wall and tossed an air tank at an officer. The incident is captured on video surveillance cameras.

Police again used a Taser along with pepper spray on Gilbert at that time. This time Gilbert was “drive stunned,” which is when a Taser weapon delivers a shock when placed against the body with the shooting mechanism removed.

APC Reichard said officers tried their best to keep Gilbert under control without causing him any physical harm.

Gilbert suffered an unknown medical condition while being taken by ambulance to hospital. APC Reichard said two officers in the ambulance aided in performing CPR. He said he does not believe there was any criminal wrongdoing. Gilbert’s death certificate cites his time of death as 3.23am on October 4.

“It was an unfortunate outcome. The last thing an officer wants to do at any part in their career is to have any part of the responsibility for the death of a civilian,” APC Reichard said.

Gilbert’s cousin, Kasi Fletcher, said the family is heartbroken after learning of the results last week. “It’s hard to hold back the emotions with something like this,” Mr Fletcher said. “We’re all still pretty much in shock. We passed the word along to (Gilbert’s) mother. She just wants justice.”

He said the family has heard very little in the way of remorse from town officials or police about Gilbert’s death.

Fletcher said he knew the death was revealed to be a homicide but was not familiar with the details of Gilbert’s cause of death. He said the family knew Gilbert, who was a medical student, to be healthy.

The Centres for Disease Control and Protection defines sickle cell diseases as a group of inherited red blood cell disorders which can block blood flow and cause pain and other serious problems such as infection, acute chest syndrome and stroke.

Detectives with the state police Eastern District Major Crime Squad are in charge of an investigation into the case and APC Reichard said the department is conducting its own internal investigation.

Results of the state police investigation will ultimately be turned over to the New London County state’s attorney for review. It would be up to the state’s attorney to determine if there was anything criminal to Gilbert’s death.