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State Probe Clears Carmel Police In Death Of Man

CARMEL, N.Y. -- Carmel police officers accused of using excessive force in the death of Joseph Seguin in November 2015, have been cleared of any wrongdoing by New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman.

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced that Carmel police officers have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of Joseph Seguin.

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced that Carmel police officers have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of Joseph Seguin.

Photo Credit: File photo

A detailed report of the investigation released Friday from the Special Investigations and Prosecution Unit found no criminal culpability on behalf of the officers in the death of Seguin.

Evidence uncovered during the investigation showed that the use of force by Carmel Police officers against Seguin on Nov. 30, 2015, was justified under law, due to Seguin’s repeated, and at times violent, resistance to arrest by officers attempting to arrest Seguin shortly after he physically attacked a woman on the premises, Schneiderman said.

“The death of Mr. Seguin is a tragedy, and we extend our condolences to his family and friends,” Schneiderman said. “Our exhaustive review of this case has concluded that Carmel police were justified in their use of force, including their use of a Taser, in their effort to arrest Mr. Seguin. My office remains committed to a thorough and transparent accounting of any case that falls under the Executive Order.”

According to the report, officers responded to a residence shortly after 1:34 a.m. after receiving a 911 call about a woman being assaulted. Officers arrived to find Seguin assaulting a woman in his bedroom.

According to several civilian witnesses and police accounts, when police arrived Seguin violently resisted arrest, kicking and punching officers, and grabbing a dog cage that contained a pit bull. When officers were finally able to free Seguin’s hands from the dog cage, he locked his hands beneath his body to prevent officers from applying handcuffs. In their attempt to effectuate an arrest, officers deployed a Taser dart into Seguin’s abdomen; Seguin died shortly thereafter.

According to an autopsy, microscopy, and toxicology conducted by the Putnam County Medical Examiner, Seguin’s cause of death was “cardiac arrest during (an) excited state, while under the influence of phencyclidine (PCP), after being tasered and handcuffed.”

As part of the investigation, investigators reviewed autopsy, microscopy, and toxicology records from the Putnam County Coroner / Medical Examiner; interviewed civilian witnesses who saw or heard various parts of the incident; interviewed Carmel Police Department officers and Emergency Medical Technicians who responded to the scene; and reviewed 911 dispatch recordings, video captured by one civilian witness, and video and audio captured by a taser used during the incident.

The report also recommends that the Carmel Police Department reevaluate its policy regarding the use of Tasers in light of this incident.

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