The July death of 43-year-old Francis Gigliotti after a police encounter in Haverhill, Massachusetts, has been ruled a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, officials confirmed. In details that emerged from the autopsy report received by prosecutors on Friday, Gigliotti's death was caused by "cardiac dysrhythmia in a person with acute intoxication due to the combined effects of cocaine and ethanol while being restrained prone by police," the Essex District Attorney's Office said, as reported by NBC Boston. The investigation into the incident and whether the actions of the involved officers were reasonable and justified remains ongoing.
Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett emphasized that a homicide ruling in this context is purely a medical classification and does not inherently make any determination about the lawfulness of the actions taken. Barrett, according to her statement, urged the public to maintain patience and avoid concluding before the investigation is complete. Meanwhile, the seven officers implicated in Gigliotti's restraint have been placed on paid leave, a standard procedure, while the investigation proceeds.
On the other side, Gigliotti's family is pressing for justice, finding some solace in the medical examiner's classification of his death. "We look forward to the completion of the investigation by the district attorney's office and the commencement of a criminal prosecution," Gigliotti's family attorney mentioned in a statement reported by NBC Boston. This comes as the Haverhill Police Patrolman’s Association expressed its stance, outlined in a statement that points to the unforeseen and tragic nature of the event, labeling Gigliotti's death a "heartbreaking turn of events," according to Joseph A. Padolsky, the police union’s counsel.
Meanwhile, in a more personal light, Gigliotti's fiancée, Michele Rooney, and his family have expressed their devastation and longing for accountability. Rooney, in an interview with CBS News, shared that the medical examiner's determination was not surprising to her, calling it "bittersweet." "It doesn't bring him back, but he's looking down and I know he's saying keep fighting girl, keep fighting and I will. We will," Rooney said. As for potential charges, Shawn Rooney, Michele's brother, asserted, "The next step should be being charged with at least manslaughter."
Surveillance and cellphone video footage of the incident have become central to the narrative – approximately 28 minutes of edited video was released initially with assurances of more comprehensive footage to come. The weight of these digital recordings is not lost on the authorities, with Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker acknowledging the video as a substantive piece of evidence for the ongoing investigation. Gigliotti's opaque July demise, now tinted with a medical examiner's verdict of homicide, promises to shape a protracted pursuit of answers – a crucible where justice, procedure, and the preserve of human dignity stand at the fragile intersection of community scrutiny and communal grief.
