June 25, 2009

Autopsy Report: Taser Victim Rodolfo Lepe Dead as Result of Police Homicide


Rodolfo Lepe is 31-year old man killed by six (6) Bakersfield police officers in January. He is one of the 23 people to die after being zapped with 50,000 volts of electricity from police taser gun this year in America. Lepe was tased twice on Jan 11. Once in custody, the six (6) police officers noticed Lepe wasn't breathing and rushed him to Mercy Hospital, where he died.

Lepe was in his own home. No drugs. No weapons. His sister thought he was acting strangely so she called 911. Lepe hid in his closet when the police arrived.

Lepe reportedly refused to come out of a bedroom closet and fought with officers as they tried to take him into custody. Officers twice used a Taser, but Lepe pulled the darts out of his skin and continued to fight, according to police.

Now he's dead and the Kern County Coroner's office confirms that he died in police custody, as a result of homicide, from asphyxia and blunt force injuries during restraint. No mention of the Taser. [SOURCE]

An autopsy and toxicology and microscopic studies have since been completed. Since there is no mention of cocaine or drugs by the 'powers-that-be' it is safe to assume that none were found.

Something is wrong when a 31-year old man who is "acting strangely" dies. He needed medical assistance. Instead, he was killed by police action. He is zapped by taser fire, not once ... but twice. Six (6) trained officers were unable to get control of the situation without beating, choking and tasing the mentally unstable victim. As a result, Rodolfo Lepe is dead.

The involved officers are identified as: Officer Brian Holcombe, Officer David Brooks, Officer Jess Beagley, Officer Raelynn Aguayo, Officer Gilbert Rodriguez and Officer Adam Ketchum.

I guess now we wait to see if criminal action will be taken against any, or all, of these six police officers.

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