{"id":2330535,"date":"2024-08-24T18:13:48","date_gmt":"2024-08-24T22:13:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/security-guards-cleared-in-reopened-manslaughter-case-this-guy-presented-a-serious-threat\/"},"modified":"2024-08-24T18:21:53","modified_gmt":"2024-08-24T22:21:53","slug":"security-guards-cleared-in-reopened-manslaughter-case-this-guy-presented-a-serious-threat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/security-guards-cleared-in-reopened-manslaughter-case-this-guy-presented-a-serious-threat\/","title":{"rendered":"Security Guards Cleared in Reopened Manslaughter Case: &#8216;This Guy Presented a Serious Threat&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsecurity-guards-cleared-in-reopened-manslaughter-case-this-guy-presented-a-serious-threat%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2330535&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A jury\u2064 recently \u200dacquitted\u2062 three security guards of\u200c involuntary manslaughter in the case of McKenzie Cochran, a \u200cBlack man who died in 2014 after being restrained at a Detroit-area mall. The jury reached the verdict after a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elected-democrats-cry-racism-after-kyle-rittenhouse-is-found-not-guilty\/\" title=\"Elected Democrats Cry Racism After Kyle Rittenhouse Is Found Not Guilty\">week-long trial<\/a> and approximately one hour of \u2063deliberation. Cochran died from asphyxiation during a struggle with the guards, which was triggered by a report from a jewelry store \u2062owner stating that Cochran had threatened \u2064to kill someone. During the encounter, Cochran repeatedly stated, \u201cI can\u2019t breathe,\u201d yet the\u2062 guards continued to restrain him. Their defense argued that they were acting to protect themselves and the\u2064 public, while prosecutors\u2062 contended the guards\u2019 actions exhibited \u200bgross negligence.<\/p>\n<p>Cochran\u2019s\u2063 death was initially ruled an accident, and no charges were filed at the\u200c time. However, amid national outrage following George Floyd&#8217;s \u200ddeath in 2020, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel re-examined the case, \u2064resulting in charges against the guards. \u200cThe defense highlighted the time elapsed since the incident and questioned the motivation behind the renewed prosecution.<\/p>\n<p>While the guards expressed relief after their acquittals, Cochran&#8217;s family was notably absent from the courtroom, as his mother and sister have passed\u200b away. \u2063The trial \u200bshowcased ongoing tensions regarding\u200c use of force\u2063 and the treatment of Black individuals by law enforcement.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section>\n<p>A jury swiftly acquitted three security guards of involuntary manslaughter Friday in the death of a man who was held to the floor at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/detroit-lions-fans-call-jersey-ban-drawing-rams-playoff-opponent\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Detroit<\/a>-area mall in 2014, a case that was closed without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-praises-manhattan-grand-jury-says-hes-gained-such-respect\/\" title=\"Trump Praises Manhattan Grand Jury, Says He\u2019s \u2018Gained Such Respect\u2019\">charges years ago<\/a> but reopened by state prosecutors.<\/p>\n<p>The jury of eight women and four men heard closing arguments in the weeklong trial and returned with a verdict after approximately an hour.<\/p>\n<p>McKenzie Cochran, a Black man with an enlarged heart, repeatedly said, &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t breathe,&rdquo; while five guards restrained him at Northland Center. The confrontation followed a call from a jewelry shop owner who said Cochran told him that he wanted to kill someone.<\/p>\n<p>The 10-minute struggle was recorded on dark, grainy mall video, as well as by onlookers. Cochran, 25, was eventually handcuffed and placed against a pillar while guards waited for police and paramedics. The cause of death was asphyxiation.<\/p>\n<p>Defense attorneys argued that the guards were protecting themselves and mall patrons by trying to bring Cochran under control so they could handcuff him. The encounter grew from two guards to five and initially involved pepper spray.<\/p>\n<p>  <script> \t\t\t\tif( ! getCookie( 'ff_subbed' ) ) if( typeof FFADS.replace_ict !='undefined' ) if( FFADS.replace_ict ) eval( FFADS.replace_ict ); \t\t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If someone found a gun in that man&rsquo;s pocket, they&rsquo;d be hailing these men as heroes,&rdquo; defense attorney Jamil Khuja told the jury. &ldquo;Instead, 10 years later &mdash; not a Monday morning quarterback, a 10-years-later quarterback &mdash; come and turn their lives upside down.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>John Seiberling, Gaven King and Aaron Maree embraced one another and their attorneys after the verdicts were read. They declined to comment about the acquittals.<\/p>\n<p>Their family and friends applauded, gasped and cheered in the courtroom. No one from Cochran&rsquo;s family attended the trial; his mother and sister are deceased.<\/p>\n<p>During closing arguments, a prosecutor urged jurors to apply &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hulk-hogan-to-speak-on-final-day-of-rnc-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Hulk Hogan to speak on final day of RNC - Washington Examiner\">common sense&#038;rdquo<\/a>; and convict the guards, arguing that their gross negligence led to the tragedy.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This death did not have to happen,&rdquo; Assistant Attorney General LaDonna Logan said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When a man says several times, &lsquo;I can&rsquo;t breathe,&rsquo; common sense says that these defendants should have repositioned him. They did nothing,&rdquo; Logan said.<\/p>\n<p>Cochran&rsquo;s death was classified by the medical examiner as an accident in 2014, and the Oakland County prosecutor did not pursue charges.<\/p>\n<p>Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reversed course in 2021 and filed charges amid national outrage over the death of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-mtg-flips-script-reporter-calls-trump-convicted-felon-tense-exchange-george-floyd\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">George Floyd<\/a>, a Black man who was pinned to the ground by Minneapolis police.<\/p>\n<p>In a written statement, Nessel, a Democrat, said the acquittals were &ldquo;not what we had hoped for.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Defense lawyers repeatedly reminded the jury of the decade that has passed since Cochran&rsquo;s death.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They had all this information 10 years ago. No charges. There was no negligence,&rdquo; Wright Blake said. &ldquo;So what changed between 2014 and 2021? &hellip; Is it her own political gains?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Blake noted there was no new evidence, except for the opinion of a forensic pathologist, Dr. Carl Schmidt, who looked at records and testified that the death was not an accident and might be considered a homicide. He had no role in the 2014 autopsy.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When you allow politics and personal advancement to drive whether or not to charge the case, that&rsquo;s not the right way to do things,&rdquo; King&rsquo;s attorney, Doraid Elder, told The Associated Press.<\/p>\n<p>He said Jessica Cooper, the local prosecutor who declined charges 10 years ago, should feel vindicated. She was defeated for reelection in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>The last trial witness was Charles Key, a former Baltimore police supervisor who is considered an expert in the use of force. He said Cochran&rsquo;s struggle to breathe didn&rsquo;t change his opinion that the guards&rsquo; efforts to restrain him while trying to handcuff him were reasonable.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If he&rsquo;s talking it means he&rsquo;s breathing. He may not be breathing well,&rdquo; Key testified. &ldquo;Resisting aggressively &mdash; that also can&rsquo;t be done without taking oxygen.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Key said Cochran could have been handcuffed in just 30 seconds without resistance.<\/p>\n<p>Another guard, Lucius Hamilton, pleaded guilty last week in anticipation of only 90 days in jail. The guard who led the encounter with Cochran died in 2017.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> <label>* Name<\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> <\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> <label>* <\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> <\/div>\n<p> <label>* Message<\/label> <br \/> <textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\">  <\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A jury quickly found three security guards not guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Friday in connection with the death of a man who was pinned to the floor at a mall near Detroit in 2014. This case, which had previously been closed without any charges, was reopened by state prosecutors. After hearing closing arguments during the week-long trial, the jury\u2014comprising eight women and four men\u2014deliberated for about an hour before reaching their verdict. The deceased, McKenzie Cochran, a Black man with an enlarged heart, repeatedly stated that he &#8220;couldn&#8217;t breathe&#8221; while being restrained by five guards at Northland Center following a report from a jewelry store owner who claimed Cochran threatened violence. The incident lasted around ten minutes and was captured on low-quality mall surveillance footage as well as by witnesses. At 25 years old, Cochran was ultimately handcuffed and placed against a pillar while waiting for police and paramedics; his death was later determined to be due to asphyxiation.<\/p>\n<p>Defense attorneys contended that the guards were acting in self-defense and trying to protect other shoppers when they attempted to subdue Cochran for handcuffing. They noted that what began with two guards escalated to five and involved pepper spray initially. Defense attorney Jamil Khuja argued that if there had been a weapon found on Cochran, the guards would have been celebrated as heroes instead of facing scrutiny years later.<\/p>\n<p>After the verdicts were announced, John Seiberling, Gaven King, and Aaron Maree embraced each other along with their lawyers but chose not to comment further. Their family members expressed relief in court; however, no one from Cochran&#8217;s family attended since both his mother and sister have passed away.<\/p>\n<p>During closing statements, prosecutors urged jurors to use &#8220;common sense&#8221; in convicting the guards for what they described as gross negligence leading up to this tragedy. Assistant Attorney General LaDonna Logan emphasized that it was clear from Cochran&#8217;s repeated pleas for help that he should have been repositioned rather than left restrained.<\/p>\n<p>Initially classified as an accidental death by medical examiners back in 2014 without any charges pursued by Oakland County prosecutors at that time; Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel decided in 2021\u2014amid national protests following George Floyd\u2019s death\u2014to file charges against the security personnel involved.<\/p>\n<p>Nessel expressed disappointment over the acquittals through a written statement while defense attorneys reminded jurors of how much time had elapsed since Cochran&#8217;s passing without prior legal action taken against them: \u201cThere was no negligence,\u201d said Wright Blake representing one of the defendants.<\/p>\n<p>The only new evidence presented during this trial came from forensic pathologist Dr. Carl Schmidt who suggested it could be viewed differently than originally classified but did not participate in conducting cochran\u2019s autopsy back then.<\/p>\n<p>The final witness called upon during proceedings included Charles Key\u2014a former Baltimore police supervisor recognized for expertise regarding force usage\u2014who maintained his belief throughout testimony regarding reasonable actions taken by those attempting restraint despite acknowledging difficulties faced due respiratory issues experienced by cochran throughout altercation itself.<\/p>\n<p>In related news last week another guard named Lucius Hamilton pleaded guilty anticipating only serving 90 days behind bars while another key figure involved passed away back In 2017<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2330536,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/82f20945a6de43b0bb7891d7ad9725f4-scaled-e1724528918458.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[36508,38188,39210,39209],"class_list":["post-2330535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-crime-news","tag-legal-update","tag-manslaughter-case","tag-security-guards"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/82f20945a6de43b0bb7891d7ad9725f4-scaled-e1724528918458.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2330535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2330535"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2330535\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2330536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2330535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2330535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2330535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}