The family of Dontae Melton Jr., whose death in Baltimore police custody was declared a homicide by the chief medical examiner, is set to address the public and demand accountability. As reported by WBAL, Melton, 31, died following a June encounter with police, captured on body-camera footage which showed him in distress, purportedly experiencing a mental health crisis, and seeking assistance from officers.
Representatives for Melton's family conveyed that on the night of the incident, the computer-aided dispatch system failure prevented the timely arrival of medical support. Melton waited nearly 50 minutes for a medical unit that never came. During this period, Melton was restrained, forced to the ground by police, and despite their eventual decision to transport him to the hospital, succumbed to his injuries at Grace Medical Center. Body camera footage revealed Melton's desperate pleas for help and his breathless declaration, "I can't breathe, yo", before falling silent; this evidence was reported by CBS News Baltimore.
The Maryland Attorney General's Independent Investigations Division (IID) is still investigating the incident, and Baltimore Police confirmed their Special Investigation Response Team is also conducting an inquiry into the events that led to Melton's death. The lawyers representing Melton's family are expected to outline the case and the steps to follow during the scheduled press conference today, as attorneys and family members call for justice and reforms in the aftermath of Dontae Melton Jr.'s untimely passing.
