The death of an Alabama man restrained by police officers has been ruled a homicide.
Phillip Reeder, a 53-year-old resident of Jefferson County, Alabama, died on August 4, 2024, following an encounter with officers from the Irondale Police Department. According to the autopsy report released by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Medical Examiner’s Office, the cause of death was determined to be “restraint during an altercation and hypertensive heart disease associated with cocaine use.”
The incident occurred on Highway 78, where police responded to reports of a mentally disturbed person running in the road. The autopsy report states that officers “utilized a controlled electrical weapon and restrained” Reeder to control him. It notes that the subject became unresponsive while restrained and was subsequently pronounced dead at an emergency department despite resuscitation efforts.
The medical examiner documented abrasions on Reeder’s head, torso, and extremities, as well as contusions consistent with handcuff use. The report suggests that while these injuries alone would not account for death, they likely contributed to a cascade of physiological responses.
This development follows earlier reports of similar incidents across the nation, raising important questions about police procedures in handling mental health crises. The family of Reeder claims that officers used excessive force, including a knee to the neck, reminiscent of the George Floyd case. However, the City of Irondale and its police department dispute this characterization of events.
The family’s attorney, Harry Daniels, asserts that Reeder pleaded for his life, drawing parallels to the widely publicized death of George Floyd in 2020. Conversely, city officials maintain that officers used only their arms to restrain Reeder and initiated CPR when he became unresponsive.
A complex interplay of factors contributed to this tragic outcome. The medical examiner’s report cites Reeder’s heart condition, cocaine use, and the physical exertion from the altercation as key elements in explaining his death.
As this story continues to unfold, it underscores the ongoing national dialogue about law enforcement practices, particularly in situations involving mental health crises. The public’s right to information on such incidents remains paramount, as does the need for thorough, impartial investigations.