MESA — The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office has classified the death of a 52-year-old Mesa man who died after a police arrest this spring as a homicide, ABC15 reported.
Eric Baker died April 4 following an encounter with Mesa officers near University Drive and Dobson Road. According to Mesa police, officers first stopped Baker because the bicycle he was riding did not have a working headlight. Police said officers then learned he had an outstanding felony warrant, tried to take him into custody and that he resisted.
Witness video that circulated after the arrest appeared to show officers striking Baker, and police have said a Taser was used. In the footage, Baker’s face appears bloodied as he repeatedly asks for help. Neighbors who saw the arrest previously told ABC15 that Baker said more than once that he could not breathe while officers restrained him. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
What the ruling means
A homicide finding by a medical examiner means a death resulted from the actions of another person. It is a medical classification, not a legal one, and does not by itself mean a crime was committed or that anyone will be charged. Any decision on criminal charges would rest with prosecutors.
Benjamin Taylor, an attorney for Baker’s family, told ABC15 the family was shocked by the ruling. Baker’s two daughters have filed a notice of claim seeking $2 million from the City of Mesa. In Arizona, a notice of claim is a required step that often comes before a lawsuit against a public body.
Mesa police have said the arrest is under review by the department’s Critical Incident Review Board. ABC15 said the medical examiner’s office had not answered its questions about the ruling as of Friday afternoon, and the full autopsy findings have not been made public.
Thee Arizona Times will follow the case, including any action by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office or a lawsuit by the family.
Photo: Unsplash License (free to use). Generic justice photo.