In connection with the death of Edward Bronstein, seven California police officers and a licensed nurse have been charged.
On March 31, 2020, Bronstein passed away in police custody after being stopped for allegedly driving while intoxicated.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón stated that seven California Highway Patrol officers have each been charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault by an officer.
The seven officers responsible for his death are as follows: Dionisio Fiorella, 39; Michael Little, 57; Dustin Osmanson, 41; Darren Parsons, 48; Diego Romero, 35; Justin Silva, 30; and Marciel Terry, 32.
Nurse Arbi Baghalian, 42, was charged with involuntary manslaughter.
“For the system to work, people must be able to trust law enforcement. Police accountability is critical to building that trusts, and it is necessary for public safety,” D.A. Gascón said. “I promise Mr. Bronstein’s family and our community that I will continue to advocate for stronger accountability in use-of-force cases and an independent review of deaths that occur while in law enforcement custody.”
“The officers then took Bronstein to a nearby CHP parking lot and obtained a warrant to draw his blood,” the D.A. wrote in the release. “Bronstein initially refused the blood draw but then agreed to comply as officers pushed him to the ground. Six officers are accused of forcing a handcuffed Bronstein to the ground and pinning him down as Baghalian drew his blood.”
The release stated that when he was on the ground, he “repeatedly” told the officers he couldn’t breathe. Unfortunately, the officers continued to draw his blood for six more minutes after being found unresponsive.
