Three California police officers have been charged in connection with the death of Mario Gonzalez Arenales, who died while in their custody on April 19, 2021. The officers, Eric McKinley, James Fisher, and Cameron Leahy, are each facing one count of involuntary manslaughter, as announced by Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.
The case was reopened by a new Public Accountability Unit established by Price in January 2023, leading to the charges being filed. This decision comes after a previous investigation had cleared the officers, citing the initial autopsy report attributing the cause of death to methamphetamine toxicity. However, a second autopsy identified 'Restraint Asphyxiation' as the cause of Mr. Gonzalez's death.
Attorney Alison Berry Wilkinson, representing the officers, criticized the charges as a 'blatantly political prosecution' and expressed confidence that the officers would be exonerated, as in previous investigations.
The incident occurred a day before Derek Chauvin's conviction in George Floyd's murder and amid nationwide protests against police use of force. The officers encountered Gonzalez, 26, while responding to a call about his erratic behavior. Body camera footage shows the officers attempting to detain Gonzalez, who was resisting arrest even after being handcuffed.
After being restrained face down on the ground for about five minutes, Gonzalez became unresponsive. Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at a hospital. The video footage indicates that the officers were attempting to control Gonzalez without putting pressure on his chest.
The city of Alameda expressed condolences to Gonzalez's loved ones in a news release following the tragic incident.
