Pepper sprayed and Tasered man dies in police custody in front of NE county courthous

[Red James Cash]

Pepper sprayed and Tasered man dies in police custody in front of NE county courthouse.

Betsy Swanback
bswanback@nrtoday.com

News
June 24, 2013

A 56-year-old Roseburg man hit with pepper spray and shocked with a Taser died in police custody Saturday in front of the Douglas County Courthouse, the sheriff’s office said today.

He was the second man to die in recent months in custody in Douglas County. Walter Ray McKelvey, 26, died in the custody of sheriff’s deputies March 3 in Canyonville.

The sheriff’s office said today it was withholding the name of the man who died Saturday until next of kin can be notified.

Roseburg police responded around 3:15 p.m. Saturday to a report of a man jumping on vehicles and causing damage near the corner of Kane Street and Douglas Avenue.

The man refused to obey police when officers attempted to arrest him, sheriff’s spokesman Dwes Hutson said.

The officers used pepper spray and a Taser to subdue the man. The man stopped breathing, and officers began CPR. Emergency medical workers responded, but efforts to revive the man were unsuccessful.

An autopsy is scheduled this week at the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office in Clackamas.

McKelvey’s death is still under investigation, District Attorney Rick Wesenberg said. The multi-agency Douglas County Major Crimes Team is investigating the incident.

Authorities believe McKelvey called 911 to report two men were harassing him in the 100 block of Main Street.

Deputies who responded said McKelvey became erratic and ran into traffic before deputies restrained him. McKelvey then collapsed.

Roseburg police, which headed the investigation into McKelvey’s death, declined to describe what methods deputies used to restrain McKelvey.

Wesenberg said his office is still waiting for the medical examiner’s report on McKelvey’s death.

He said the Saturday incident will likely follow a similar process.



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• You can reach reporter Betsy Swanback at 541-957-4208 or by email at bswanback@nrtoday.com.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

"The man refused to obey police when officers attempted to arrest him.."

Lesson number one - Follow the instructions from the police. You can argue about it later.

 

[Mackaydon]

Right on, Terry !! The chances of successfully resisting arrest are slim to none; only a fool would attempt it.
Don........

 

[Red James Cash]

Though its no excuse,how do you know that he wasnt drunk.

 

[Mackaydon]

Drunk or not would make no difference (nor would any other excuse/reason) if he is resisting arrest.

 

[Red James Cash]

Maybe,but isnt death a little extreme for resisting.

 

[Mackaydon]

Why " Maybe" ?

 

[Red James Cash]

Why " Maybe" ?

Ever been so drunk that you dont know what youre doing?

 

[Mackaydon]

Does smashed drunk ever include being immune to the consequences?

 

[Red James Cash]

No,it means that you are not in control of yourself.If two or three cops cant handle a drunk guy without resorting to pepper spray plus a tazer(which they know can do cause death)what does that tell you.My brother has been a cop for 25 years,he doesnt use a tazer,he doesnt even have one.He uses his brains.Maybe they should upgrade the standards a little bit for hiring instead of lowing them.

Nice shirt for a cop to wear

 

[Mackaydon]

What does it tell me? It tells me that all the cops went home to their families that night without putting themselves in harm's way. None of the 'old school' tactics of hand to hand or the use of a baton needed to be employed; thereby keeping the cops away from possible injury to themselves by this out of control dude. A tragic ending, yes, but kudos to the cops.

 

[Red James Cash]

never mind,back to sleepy

 

[BosnMate]

The fellow was a Vietnam veteran, and the day before he had been arrested at Diamond Lake Resort for reckless driving. He was in fact driving off the road, between the cabins, which upset the lodge people. He was arrested at the lake, and lodged in the Douglas County Jail, in the top of the courthouse in Roseburg. A judge said they didn't have sufficient cause to keep him in jail, so he was released. His wife, who lived 100 plus miles north, had driven home from the resort, so the man was alone and probably broke, stuck in a strange town. The guy wasn't homeless or a drunk, and it doesn't say that he had been drinking. Perhaps he was upset at the cops about his treatment the day before, odds are excellent he had mental problems, probably PTSD, anyhow for what ever reason he was jumping on cars parked at the courthouse. The article doesn't say, but apparently the officer didn't wait for back up, he pepper sprayed the guy, then tasered him, and the fellow quit breathing. By killing the guy, the officer didn't get any bruise's, and he kept his uniform clean. Most of the time I'm inclined to support the police, but Vietnam veteran tells me the man wasn't some young guy wearing a muscle shirt, and the applied force sure seems to me to be a little much, and it should have been possible for a couple of police officers to overpower him. I would think that a bruise or two and grass stained uniforms comes with the job.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Since when does resisting arrest without force justify someone's death.

Police officer could have waited for backup, unless suspect was resisting with a weapon his death was not justified.



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[Mackaydon]

The cops job is not to ask this guy for his life's story while the guy continues his acts of mayhem; it's to stop a crime in progress, not weigh the excuse(s) of WHY he is acting in a criminal manner. Nor does the cop need to "wait for backup" which may be 30 minutes away--or not available. and then go 'mano y mano' with the guy. And to mention that the officer killed the guy is getting a little ahead of the evidence--judgmental --and ahead of the ME's report.
Don....

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

He is 2nd one to die in their custody in recent months.

Hummm, wonder what police did before tasers, did they just shoot to death unarmed suspects........

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[Red James Cash]

He is 2nd one to die in their custody in recent months.

Hummm, wonder what police did before tasers, did they just shoot to death unarmed suspects........

Nah,thats where there nightsticks and lead filled gloves come in.Just ask this sacremento police woman.

 

[Mackaydon]

TH,
Please clarify your last.
Was that comment intended to be humorous or you really don't know the answer to the question you posed.
Don....

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

TH,
Please clarify your last.
Was that comment intended to be humorous or you really don't know the answer to the question you posed.
Don....

Mac, police need to stop using tasers against unarmed civilians, far too many civilians are dying due to their use. No one should die if their resisting arrest without a weapon.....

If it was my relative I would already have lawyers and be seeking civil damages against the county, the sheriffs office and the officers involved for $10's of millions.....

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[DeepseekerADS]

All that I have to add is that there have been a WHOLE lot of deaths at police hands lately.

Is the nation in a tizzy, or what?

It won't stop, will only increase. Seems everyone is getting to a FREAKIN point nationwide.

Watching from afar, seems to be no fix....

Regardless of anything anyone might say about this, whichever side you choose, isn't this a bit much?