Angelo Quinto: Coroner's inquest finds Filipino American's death was an "accident"

UNDATED PHOTO

Angelo Quinto's family is critical of the coroner's findings.

The findings of the Contra Costa County Coroners raised more questions about the death of Angelo Quinto, the 30-year old Filipino American who died last December as police restrained him.

A 15-member jury of the coroner's inquest ruled the death of Quinto was an accident,  after County Coroner Ikechi Ogan concluded Aug. 20 that Quinto died of "excited delirium," a state attributed to a narcolepsy drug found in Quinto’s system.

It’s a controversial diagnosis which the American Medical Association denounced in June, saying it is commonly used to justify excessive force by officers, say its critics.

"It’s junk science," said John Burris, a Bay Area civil rights attorney who’s representing Quinto’s family. "And that’s what’s so shocking about it that even the doctor recognizes it’s junk science but then he uses it as the basis to say it’s the cause of death here."

“It’s really a bogus argument," continued Burris. "We’ve had many cases and each time it has been debunked."

On Dec 23, 2020, Quinto's family called for the assistance of the Antioch police as Angelo Quinto was in the midst of a mental health episode. The family contends that Angelo Quino died while police restrained and handcuffed the Navy veteran, even though at that time he had already stopped breathing.

Blood tests revealed that Quinto, a resident of Antioch California, had caffeine and tobacco in his system along with the prescription drugs Levetiracetam, an anti-seizure drug, and Modafinil, an anti-narcolepsy brain stimulant. 

The Martinez courtroom was packed with uniformed police officers, Quinto family members and friends and attorneys. District Attorney Diana Becton was also in attendance.

The outcome of the inquest was not unexpected. "We hoped that it wasn’t the case but we expected this," Quinto’s stepfather, Robert Collins, said after the hearing. "But, we were somehow hopeful that truth would prevail."

Ogan said that there was no evidence of had trauma on Qunto's neck or any evidence that his airway was damaged. Quinto's mother initially said officers were kneeling on her son's neck.

Quinto’s family called the hearing "one-sided," pointing out that only the pathologist who conducted the autopsy and law enforcement officers were called to testify. None of the family members who were present during the incident or the family's expert pathologist, who gave differing conclusions, were called to testify.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office is conducting its own investigation to determine if any criminal charges will be filed.

Angelo Quinto's death is still being investigated by the Contra Costa County District Attorney.

Quinto’s family, meanwhile, is continuing with the civil case, which was filed last week. The suit names the city, Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks and Officers James Perkinson, Arturo Becerra, Daniel Hopwood and Nicholas Shipilov.

Questions still remain, such as  why it took the Antioch Police Department weeks before revealing to the public any details of Quinto's death?; what treatment did Quinto receive for the three days in the local hospital before he was pronounced deceased?; and what reforms the APD will institute as a result of the incident?

Quinto's family issued the following statement via the @Justice4Angelo social media site.