The California Highway Patrol is drawing scrutiny for its treatment of a DUI suspect at a CHP maintenance yard in Altadena after the 38-year-old died while in custody.
Officers were trying to get a court-ordered blood sample from Edward Bronstein, 38, which he initially refused.
Though he soon relents, the officers proceeded to hold Bronstein down and forcefully draw his blood, video provided by Luis Carrillo, the family’s lawyer, shows.
Carrillo said the altercation occurred on March 31, 2020, but a judge only recently allowed the video to be released.
“The state of California did not want us to release this video,” Carrillo said. “Thank god that the judge agreed with us and that’s why you’re going to have this video. It’s horrible, but justice must be done.”
Bronstein starts to become lifeless, and a medical worker and the officers try to help him regain consciousness, even administering CPR.
However, Bronstein never regained consciousness.
“My dad was a good person,” said Brianna Palomino, Bronstein’s daughter. “Nobody deserves to die this way. He was treated like trash, like his life was not deserving.”
Though Bronstein had meth, marijuana and alcohol in his system, his death was caused by suffocation while being held down, Carrillo said.
Bronstein’s family wants the District Attorney’s office to bring criminal charges against the CHP officers involved.
“Whatever they did, I just want them to pay for what they did,” Bronstein’s father said.
The CHP declined to comment due to pending litigation.