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LAPD releases body-camera footage showing use of force against man who died in jail

Video shows officers repeatedly restraining Jose Carlos Hoyoz-Munoz in a Van Nuys jail cell before he was found unresponsive on July 15.

The short version

  • The Los Angeles Police Department released body-camera footage depicting three use-of-force incidents against 58-year-old Jose Carlos Hoyoz-Munoz at a Van Nuys regional jail.
  • Hoyoz-Munoz, who was arrested on July 13 following an alleged assault involving a knife, was repeatedly pinned, placed in a harnessed chair, and fitted with a spit hood.
  • Officers found Hoyoz-Munoz unconscious and not breathing in his cell on July 15, shortly after piling on top of him to place him face-down on a bed.
  • Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called for an independent evaluation into officer-involved deaths concerning people experiencing mental health crises.

Key facts

  • Jose Carlos Hoyoz-Munoz was arrested on July 13 after police responded to a report that he injured his mother and another relative with a knife.[The Guardian]
  • Body-camera footage shows officers engaging in three use-of-force incidents during booking, citing combative behavior and resistance from Hoyoz-Munoz.[The Guardian]
  • Officers restrained Hoyoz-Munoz using body weight, a harnessed chair, and a spit hood while he was handcuffed.[The Guardian]
  • After officers moved Hoyoz-Munoz face-down onto a cell bed and piled on top of him, wellness checks were conducted for 20 minutes before an officer observed he was not moving.[The Guardian]
  • Mayor Karen Bass called for an independent evaluation of police policies, training, and tactics regarding individuals in mental health crises.[The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • The exact medical cause of death for Hoyoz-Munoz has not been publicly stated.[The Guardian]

Sources