On June 7, a body camera footage of a police officer from New Mexico was obtained by authorities. In the footage, he can be heard telling a man that he is going to choke him out before he caused his death.
Police brutality
On June 5, officer Christopher Smelser was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Antonio Valenzuela on February 29. The Las Cruces Police Department also filed a letter of intent to fire Smelser.
Police Chief Patrick Gallagher said in a statement that he had read the conclusions of Valenzuela's autopsy report that was given to him on June 4.
The autopsy report listed the cause of death of the victim and it showed asphyxia injuries that are due to physical restraint. Chief Gallagher also added that the police department immediately prohibited all officers to use vascular neck restraint after the incident.
According to the autopsy, there were methamphetamines found in Valenzuela's system, and it also contributed to his death. The office of the Third Judicial District Attorney said in a statement that the victim's death happened after a traffic stop.
Valenzuela was wanted for parole violation and he allegedly ran from police officers. The officers who were on the scene used their stun guns twice but it did not affect the victim. That was when Smelser used the neck restrain during a struggle so that he can gain control of him.
News site KOB was able to obtain the footage and the officer can be heard yelling that he was going to choke the victim out. Valenzuela can be clearly heard gasping for air. Sam Bregman, the lawyer for Valenzuela's family, stated on June 9 that the victim did not attack the officer during the confrontation, nor did he use any weapon against him or threaten him in any way.
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Bregman said that Valenzuela was only running away, and there is nothing that can justify Smelser choking him and killing him. Amy Orlando, Smelser's lawyer, then stated that the officer regrets the death of Valenzuela but the victim was actively resisting and that he had a weapon during the confrontation.
Orlando did not state what kind of weapon Valenzuela had but she added that it was found in a pocket that Valenzuela was reaching for. She also said that the officer told Valenzuela that he was going to use neck restraint on him, and she described it as Smelser's last resort.
Similar to Floyd's death
The public had noted that Valenzuela's death in the hands of a police officer is eerie similar to how George Floyd died. He was an unarmed black man that was choked to death by a Minneapolis police officer after he knelt on his neck for almost 9 minutes.
Due to Floyd's death, the public is now demanding that all officers guilty of using force and killing civilians should be held accountable.
Bregman stated that the family of the victim believes that Smelser should be charged with second-degree murder, which is the same charge that Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who killed Floyd, is facing.
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