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“He complied with all of their demands, and then they treated him like a piece of garbage with not even one speck of basic humanity,” Elliot Dolby-Shields, an attorney representing Prude’s family, told The Appeal. “No, ‘Hey are you alright? Hey, can we get you a blanket?’ It’s freezing out and he’s naked. They don’t offer him anything.”

“At first he’s talking, and then he’s whimpering, and then he goes silent,” Dolby-Shields continued. “And they all laugh. They’re having a good time, and you can see at that moment that his hand stops twitching, and his chest stops going up and down, and he’s dying, and they’re just casually making jokes.”

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So far, none of the officers involved have been charged in Prude’s death, fired or even suspended over the incident. According to The Appeal, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren told reporters Wednesday that Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order in the wake of Eric Garner’s death, requiring that deaths in police custody be investigated by the attorney general’s office. Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary said he ordered a criminal investigation and an internal investigation on March 23 and that the attorney general’s office took over the investigation in April. The investigation has not been concluded.

New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement Wednesday:

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“The death of Daniel Prude was a tragedy, and I extend my deepest condolences to his family. I share the community’s concerns about ensuring a fair and independent investigation into his death and support their right to protest. Pursuant to Executive Order 147, the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit of my office is already actively investigating this incident. As with every investigation, we will follow the facts of this case and ensure a complete and thorough examination of all relevant parties. We will work tirelessly to provide the transparency and accountability that all our communities deserve.”

Updated: 9/3/20, 5:17 p.m.: On Thursday, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren suspended seven police officers over the detainment of 41-year-old Daniel Prude who went on life support after the encounter and died a week later, according to the New York Times.

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