Several Rochester police officers suspended over Daniel Prude's death

Rochester police officers hold down Daniel Prude on March 23, 2020, in Rochester, N.Y. Prude, a Black man suffering from some type of mental disturbance in the streets of the western New York city, died of asphyxiation after a group of police officers put a hood over his head, then pressed his face into the pavement for two minutes, according to video and records released Wednesday by the man's family. (Rochester Police via Roth and Roth LLP via AP)

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The mayor of Rochester, N.Y. announced the suspension of several police officers involved in the death of a Black man after a hood was placed over his head and his face was pressed onto the pavement for two minutes.

Mayor Lovely Warren said during a Thursday news conference, I am suspending the officers in question today against counsel's advice and I urge the attorney general to complete her investigation. I understand that the union may sue the city for this. They shall feel free to do so I have been sued before.

Seven officers connected to the response will be suspended with pay, including officers Mark Vaughn, Troy Taladay and Fransisco Santiago, who are named in the police report.

Warren told reporters, Mr. Daniel Prude was failed by our police department, our mental health care system, our society and he was failed by me. Daniel Prude’s death has proven yet again that many of the challenges that we faced in the past are the same challenges that we face today. It's the way that the system works. Racism is alive and well in every system in America.

Warren said Police Chief La'Ron Singletary has been reprimanded for his actions in the months since the Prude's death for failing to inform her of the officers' actions. She said Singletary told her Prude died of a drug overdose while in police custody.

Warren said of the police body camera footage that showed the encounter, experiencing and ultimately dying from a drug overdose in police custody as I was told by the chief is entirely different than what I ultimately witnessed on the video. I only learned of those officers' actions on Aug. 4 when cooperation council Tim Curtin reviewed the video for the FOIL [Freedom of Information Law] request by Prude’s family. At no time before Aug. 4 did Singletary or anyone make me aware of the officers’ actions in regard to Mr. Prude’s death.

She also pushed for charges against all protesters be dropped as the nationwide debate over police practices continue. She acknowledged that Prude would have been treated differently by officers if he was White.

In a statement, she encouraged the Rochester Police Department to launch an internal probe. Warren said James office initially asked the city to stop its investigation, but reversed course Thursday.

James said in response, at this time, we have not asked the city of Rochester nor the Rochester Police Department to refrain from launching an internal investigation. In fact, we encourage both Rochester and the RPD to proceed with an internal review simultaneous to our investigation. The Prude family and the greater Rochester community deserve answers, and we will continue to work around the clock to provide them.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is investigating Prude's death, which is standard when an unarmed person dies in police custody.