The death of an Arlington man in the main lobby of the Dallas County Jail was declared a homicide with contributing factors including drugs and stress to his body associated with the struggle and being restrained, according to the Dallas County medical examiner's office.
Joseph Hutcheson, 48, died on Aug. 1 following a struggle with deputies on floor of the lobby. Hutcheson ran into the building at approximately 10:30 a.m., screaming for help and claiming that his wife was trying to take his life, according to authorities. He was subdued and handcuffed to prevent him from harming himself or others, after which he lost consciousness and died minutes later, according to Dallas Morning News. A full autopsy report is pending.
Hutcheson's death "was caused by the combined toxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine, compounded by heart problems due to high blood pressure and the stress associated with struggle and restraint," The Dallas County medical examiner's office said on Monday, the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported.
The victim can be seen acting erratically before being restrained by police officers and losing consciousness in the CCTV footage from the lobby, which was released on Friday. The four-minute video shows Hutcheson going up to people sitting on a bench and moving around the lobby area as deputies follow. A struggle eventually takes place and Hutcheson is handcuffed as he flails his legs around momentarily before he stops moving. The officers then remove the handcuffs and attempt to revive him, according to NBC 5 Dallas.
The officers involved in the incident were re-assigned to other duties earlier this month and no further charges will be made until the investigation is over, Raul Reyna, a Sheriff's Department spokesman said.
