Family of Daniel Prude Files Civil Rights Lawsuit

Attorneys for Daniel Prude's estate filed a civil suit against the City of Rochester. The complaint was filed Monday, alleging civil rights violations and wrongful death claims on behalf of Prude's family. Prude, 41, died one week after he was detained while naked and high on PCP on a freezing March morning. After being handcuffed and placed on his stomach, the Chicago native had a spit hood placed over his head and three officers used "stabilization techniques" to hold him down for several minutes. Prude fell unconscious a short time later and became unresponsive. He never woke up and died one week after the incident. According to the newly-filed documents, the actions of both the police officers and what is referred to as an "attempted cover-up by the police and city government of Rochester" violated Prude’s constitutional and common law rights. The 27-page lawsuit claims officers "cruelly abused [Prude], mocked him, and killed him", adding the department's actions exemplify a "policy of deliberate indifference to the rights of people of color who encounter its police officers."The filing seeks compensation for Prude’s five children, who were ruled the rightful heirs by state courts in New York and Illinois.