California reaches $24 million settlement with family of man who died in police custody

Seven California Highway Patrol officers have been charged with involuntary manslaughter over 2020 death of Edward Bronstein

The state of California has reached a historic $24m settlement with the family of Edward Bronstein, who died while being restrained by state highway patrol officers.

Bronstein was pulled over by officers north of downtown Los Angeles on suspicion of driving under the influence on 31 March 2020 and was pinned to the ground by officers after initially refusing to submit to a blood test.

In a nearly 18-minute video of the incident filmed by a sergeant and released nearly two years after the incident, Bronstein can be heard telling the officers “I can’t breathe” before losing consciousness.

According to Bronstein’s family, he initially refused to submit to the blood test because of a longstanding fear of needles. As he was being pinned to the ground by officers, Bronstein can be heard shouting, “I’ll do it willingly. I’ll do it willingly, I promise.”

“It’s too late,” one officer said in response, while another admonished Bronstein for yelling.

After Bronstein ceased speaking, it took officers eleven minutes to start performing CPR on him, according to officials.

By then, it was too late. Mr Bronstein was pronounced dead, with the Los Angeles County coroner ruling that his cause of death was “acute methamphetamine intoxication during restraint by law enforcement.”

According to Annee Della Donna, an attorney for Bronstein’s family, Tuesday’s settlement is the largest civil rights settlement ever agreed to by the state of California and the second largest in US history after the settlement reached by the city of Minneapolis with George Floyd’s family.

In March of last year, a federal court ruled that video of the incident be released publicly as part of the family’s federal lawsuit alleging excessive force and a violation of civil rights.

Shortly thereafter, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced that his office was charging the seven highway patrol officers and nurse present during Bronstein’s death with involuntary manslaughter.

The officers have also been charged with felony assault under the colour of authority. If the officers are convicted, they could face up to four years in prison.

Already, the manner of Mr Bronstein’s death has sparked changes in California law. The state Highway Patrol has since banned its officers “from using techniques or transport methods that involve a substantial risk of positional asphyxia,” while Gov Gavin Newsom signed a law banning the use of a select number of face-down holds like the one Mr Bronstein was restrained with.