US EditionAlabama man’s death is ruled a homicide after police kneeled on his neck
IRONDALE, ALABAMA, JUL 21 – Jefferson County Coroner ruled Phillip Reeder's death a homicide citing police neck restraint, cocaine use, and heart disease as contributing factors during a mental health crisis.
- Phillip Reeder, a 52-year-old man from Irondale, Alabama, died on August 6, 2024, after police kneeled on his neck during an encounter on Highway 78.
- Police responded to a medical emergency called in by a coworker while Reeder was reportedly wandering in and out of traffic, and the family links the incident to a mental health crisis.
- Officers used a Taser, handcuffed, and restrained Reeder by placing a knee on his neck for over three minutes while he repeated that he could not breathe before becoming unresponsive.
- The Jefferson County Coroner ruled the death a homicide caused by hypertensive heart disease linked to cocaine use and restraint, noting that blunt force injuries alone did not cause death.
- Reeder's family attorneys compared his death to George Floyd's 2020 case, asserting that in 2024 the same fatal restraint tactics were used, underscoring ongoing concerns about police use of force.
32 Articles
32 Articles
ACLU of Alabama presses lawmakers to address prison death reporting shortfalls
The Joint Prison Oversight Committee is preparing to convene for its annual public hearing today. Ahead of the hearing, the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama is asking lawmakers to confront what it describes as a systemic failure in transparency and accountability within the state’s prison system. Ahead of the legislative hearing, the organization is grounding its call to action in findings from its recently released Death Capital Repor…
Police deny wrongdoing in death of Alabama man, dispute family’s account
Police officers in Alabama who were involved in the arrest of a man who died while handcuffed were not at fault, officials said, disputing an account from the man’s family who are calling for the officers to be charged. Police employed no excessive force in the events leading up to the August 2024 arrest and death of […]
Police deny wrongdoing in death of Alabama man, dispute family's account
Police officers in Alabama who were involved in the arrest of a man who died while handcuffed were not at fault, officials said, disputing an account from the man's family who are calling for the officers to be charged.Police employed no excessive force in the events leading up to the August 2024 arrest and death of Phillip Reeder, 52, the City of Irondale and its police department said in a joint statement late Monday.The Birmingham suburb's an…
The Independent
The Independent (US)Woman likens husband’s death to George Floyd after he dies in police custody
Phillip Reeder’s cause of death was determined to be a homicide exacerbated by “hypertensive heart disease associated with cocaine use and restraint during altercation”
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
