Arlington

Grand Jury Declines to Indict Dallas County Jailers Over Man's Lobby Death

A grand jury declined Wednesday to indict four jail officers in the death of a man who died after a struggle with the deputies in the jail lobby.

The Dallas County grand jury declined an indictment in the Aug. 1 death of Arlington handyman Joseph Hutcheson after the struggle at the Dallas County jail. The jail officers remain on the Dallas County Sheriff's Department staff, sheriff's spokeswoman Melinda Urbina said.

The Dallas County medical examiner's office concluded Hutcheson, 48, died from the combined toxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine, compounded by heart problems due to high blood pressure and the stress to his body associated with a struggle with sheriff's deputies and being restrained by handcuffs. His death was ruled a homicide.

The decision was disappointing to Hutcheson's family but not surprising, said family attorney Scott Palmer.

"The family will have to let all this sink in and will move onto the next chapter, which is filing the lawsuit and holding the jailers accountable," Palmer told The Dallas Morning News.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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