Police: Officers involved in Kendrec McDade shooting not involved in altercation with Reginald Thomas Jr. in Pasadena prior to death

PASADENA >> Police on Sunday identified the six Pasadena police officers involved in subduing and arresting a man who ultimately died in police custody late last month, contradicting claims by the man’s family’s attorney that one of the involved officers was the same who was involved in the controversial police shooting of an unarmed 19-year-old man in 2012.
A wrongful death claim filed Friday against Pasadena police by attorney Caree Harper named two Pasadena police officers — Officer Mathew Griffin and Sgt. Aguilar, whose first name was not listed — as being involved in the arrest of Reginald Thomas Jr., 35, of Pasadena early on Sept. 29 at an apartment in the 200 block of East Orange Grove Blvd. Griffin was one of two officers who was involved in the March, 2012, shooting of Kendrec McDade.
But in a written statement issued Sunday, Pasadena police released the identities of six officers the department who “took part in the altercation” with Thomas. Neither of the two officers named in the wrongful death claim were present, according to police.
The involved officers were identified as: Officer Thomas Butler, Officer Robert Griffith, Officer Michael Orosco, Officer Phillip Poirer, Officer Raphael Santiago and Officer Aaron Villacana.
One of the two officers involved in the McDade shooting arrived on the scene after Thomas had already been detained, but it was Officer Jeffrey Newlen, not Mathew Griffin, police said.
“After Mr. Thomas had been restrained, Officer Jeffrey Newlen arrived at the location and assisted with CPR,” according to the police statement.
Pasadena Police Phillip Sanchez could not be reached for comment over the weekend.
Harper maintained her position.
“We stand behind several eye witness statements which place Officer Griffin and Sgt. Aguilar inside the apartment. We also stand behind the videotape clip that appears to be Griffin,” she said.
“Unless Chief Sanchez discloses the identity of the officer depicted in the photo and provides a specific denial that Griffin and Aguilar were not involved, we have no reason to question eyewitness’ account at this time,” she said.
Thomas died after being shocked with Tasers and taken into custody after confronting officer with a knife and a fire extinguisher, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives, who are spearheading the investigation into Thomas’ death. Police responded to calls from the home reporting that Thomas was armed with a knife, acting strangely and apparently under the influence of drugs.
Harper alleges that police punched, kicked and struck Thomas in the head and upper body with batons and “hogtied” him before he stopped breathing, causing his death. Thomas officials cause of death has not been released by coroner’s investigators, and details of the coroner’s investigation are being withheld due to a “security hold” placed on the normally public information by sheriff’s investigators.
Sheriff’s investigators said Thomas was not beaten, and that although his wrists were handcuffed and his ankled tied together, he was never hogtied with his wrists and ankles linked.
Police also disputed the allegation set forth in the wrongful death claim that police delayed providing CPR to Thomas, as well as calling in paramedics to help.
“Upon restraining Mr. Thomas, the officers observed him not breathing, at which time, they immediately began CPR and life-saving measures,” according to the police statement.
Detectives from the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau are investigating the in-custody death, along with simultaneous investigations by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner and Pasadena police administrators.

*UPDATED with comment from attorney Caree Harper

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