Much media reporting of the death of Cincinnatian Nathaniel Jones in a scuffle with police has been irresponsible, says columnist Peter Bronson in the Cincinnati Enquirer
Bronson cites a headline in Australia’s national newspaper, The Australian: “Officers beat black man to death.” Says Bronson: “There was no evidence that Jones was beaten to death. Reports from the coroner showed he was not seriously injured by the cops, who jabbed him in the legs to get him to put his hands behind his back. The cause of death is more likely to be a combination of an enlarged heart and obesity mixed with PCP and cocaine. But story after story around the world and the nation jumped to the reckless conclusion that it was a fatal beating by the cops.”
As for all the replays of the incident’s tape, Bronson says, “they nearly always leave out the most critical part – when Jones ignores the cops’ commands to stay back, lunges at Officer James Pike, slugs him and tries to grab him in a chokehold.”
Link: http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/12/04/loc_bronson04.html