COLUMBUS, Georgia (WTVM) – The family of a Columbus man who died in police custody in 2017 wonders what’s next after reaching an agreement with the city.
On Tuesday, the Mayor and City Council of Columbus voted for a $ 500,000 settlement to be paid to Hector Arreola’s family.
District Attorney Mark Jones says he plans to take the case to a grand jury. He even appointed a special attorney, Chris Breault, to assist with the case.
A statement from Breault to News Leader 9 reads as follows:
“I sincerely hope that the settlement of the civil case is the right outcome for all concerned. My role as special prosecutor is to fully investigate Hector Arreola’s death, including whether the Columbus police used excessive (and lethal) force. Under the direction of the District Attorney, I will use whatever power is necessary to investigate the case and bring it to the grand jury. District Attorney Jones has made it a priority to fully investigate every police misconduct complaint, and resolving this civil case will not deter it. “
Greetings,
Chris Breault
According to Wane Hailes, president of the NAACP’s Columbus Chapter, the Arreola family reached out to him and the NAACP in 2017 to do whatever it took to bring the 30-year-old’s death to the fore and police brutality to enlighten.
“If you really want to think about it. We had our own George Floyd situation. He couldn’t breathe either. This man was on his neck. Neck and he yelled that he couldn’t breathe either. 13 times, ”said Wane Hailes, president of the NAACP’s Columbus Chapter. “But the bottom line is that it’s not over yet. I think you would agree that there are still three policemen working for the police today. “
According to police, they responded to Arreola’s phone call, which officials said they found him high on meth.
News Leader 9 spoke to a local East Alabama police officer about the case, Peter Markow. He told News Leader 9 that he believed this may have contributed to Arreola’s death and could have justified the use of excessive force by officials.
Others in the Columbus area told News Leader 9 they think officers currently working with the Columbus Police Department believe they must answer a grand jury for their actions.
“It’s not uncommon for a person who dies in custody because these guys put all kinds of things in their bodies and then fall. Once they get off their high and fall, they often go into cardiac arrest or overdose, ”said Markow. “This is probably one of the worst things a law enforcement officer can face when it comes to the use of force because there is nothing in black and white when that says this is going to stop this guy from fighting. When they have things like meth or crack cocaine in their system, they get strong and you have to increase your strength. “
“There is absolutely no price for a person’s life, whether it’s $ 300,000 or $ 3 million,” said Rebecca Hahn, a Columbus woman.
Originally, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation believed death to be an overdose, but it was recently overturned and classified as murder.
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