Lawsuit filed against Bexar County deputies for excessive force leading to the death of Emmanuel Mora in custody. Autopsy report cites prone restraint as a contributing factor.
Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputies Lawsuit: Death in Custody
In a detailed and harrowing account, the families of Emmanuel Mora, who died in police custody, have filed a lawsuit against Bexar County Sheriff’s deputies Joseph Hernandez and Bobby Santo-Domingo. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division (Case No. 5:24-cv-667), accuses the deputies of using excessive force that resulted in Mora’s death on August 27, 2023.
The events began when Emmanuel Mora was pulled over by an officer from the Balcones Police Department. During the traffic stop, Mora was arrested for possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) and a parole violation. Despite being cooperative during his arrest, Mora began to show signs of severe distress and agitation while being processed at the Bexar County Magistrate’s office.
According to the lawsuit, Mora became visibly agitated and displayed behavior indicative of drug-induced delirium, repeatedly shouting phrases like “no, no, no,” “behave,” and “stop it.” At this point, Bexar County personnel attempted to move him to another room, but Mora resisted. The booking staff then called for assistance from the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT), prompting Deputies Hernandez and Santo-Domingo to respond.
The complaint details that upon arrival, Deputies Hernandez and Santo-Domingo handcuffed Mora and placed him in leg restraints. Despite being restrained and posing no immediate threat, the deputies tased Mora twice. Following this, they administered a dose of NARCAN to counteract the drug effects. However, Mora remained agitated, repeatedly requesting water and continuing to shout.
Deputies Hernandez and Santo-Domingo, allegedly annoyed by Mora’s continued agitation, decided to employ what they called the “prone position.” According to the lawsuit, they forced Mora face-down on the floor, bent his legs upwards, and applied pressure on his chest by sitting on him. They further exacerbated the situation by lifting his handcuffed arms upward, a technique known to restrict breathing and cause severe distress.
The complaint states that this position, especially dangerous for someone under the influence of stimulants, led to Mora struggling for breath. Despite his evident distress and labored breathing, the deputies maintained this restraint. Mora’s speech became slurred, and he eventually went silent. Despite this, the deputies continued to hold him in the prone position and even took photographs of him lying unconscious on the floor.
It wasn’t until they attempted to lift him back onto the bench and found him unresponsive that they called a code blue. Unfortunately, Mora was pronounced dead at the scene. The autopsy report listed the prone restraint position as a contributing factor to his death, categorizing it as a homicide.
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