If this is all the coroner put out it's a very irresponsible statement.
Cardiac arhythmia was the medical diagnosis.
By JOHN NOLAN, Associated Press Writer
CINCINNATI - The coroner said Wednesday that a struggle with police was the primary cause in the death of a 350-pound black man whose scuffle with officers outside a fast-food restaurant has prompted outcry among black activists in Cincinnati.
Hamilton County Coroner Carl Parrott said Nathaniel Jones, 41, suffered from an enlarged heart, obesity and had intoxicating levels of cocaine, PCP and methanol in his blood.
Parrott said the death will be ruled a homicide, but added that such a ruling "should not be interpreted as implying inappropriate behavior or the use of excessive force by police."
Jones' death certificate will list a cause of death as an irregular heart beat because of a stress reaction from the violent struggle, Parrott said.
Activists say Jones' death was another example of brutality by Cincinnati police against blacks in a city that was rocked by race riots two years ago.
Jones died Sunday after being taken into custody in the parking lot of a White Castle restaurant. A police cruiser video camera showed Jones lunge at officers, who repeatedly hit him with metal nightsticks during the struggle.
Jones' body had bruising on the lower half, but did not show signs of blows to the head or organ damage, Parrott said.
The coroner's ruling came shortly after lawyers for Jones' family called for an independent investigation of his death, claiming the coroner has mishandled past cases.
"It's hard for me to believe anything that comes out of the coroner's office," attorney Kenneth Lawson said at a news conference.
Relatives said Jones was a loving person who never hurt anyone.
"They talk about Skip like he was an animal," said his grandmother, Bessie Jones. "He wasn't. Skipper was just a good old, fat jolly fella. He wasn't violent."
"Everyone he met, that he touched, loved him," said his aunt, Diane Payton. "He was never mean."