daniel prude

Free The People Roc, one of the main organizers behind recent protests calling for justice in the wake of the death of Daniel Prude, says it is ending the daily protest near City Hall. A couple of dozen protesters were reportedly still near the building  on Church Street Monday night, but the activist organization issued this statement in its Facebook page:

Rochester City Council has issued subpoenas in connection with its independent investigation into the death of Daniel Prude.

During a visit to Rochester’s Aenon Baptist Church on Sunday, New York State Attorney General Letitia James said her office will announce when it is investigating deaths of unarmed individuals after encounters with law enforcement. She also said her office will release police body camera footage of these incidents as soon as possible.

“I commit that we will notify the public,” said James, "when we arrive at a decision, to assert our jurisdiction in investigations of police officers involved deaths of unarmed civilians, to avoid the situation that occured here in Rochester.”

The Rev. Lewis Stewart with the United Christian Leadership Ministries said on Wednesday that activists need to change their goals as they protest Daniel Prude's death.

Stewart spoke hours after police began dispersing protesters, who had been occupying outside of City Hall since Tuesday morning. Sixteen people were arrested. There have been daily, largely peaceful protests since news of Prude's death was made public two weeks ago. 

In March, Prude died after police restrained him during a mental health arrest. The medical examiner ruled it a homicide.

Protesters occupied the outside of City Hall from morning into the night on Tuesday calling for justice for Daniel Prude.

In March, Prude was having a mental health crisis when his brother called 911. Officers pinned him to the ground and he suffocated. He died a week later.

Daniel’s brother Joe Prude, who made the 911 call, says that he’s tired of waiting for the officers who arrested and restrained his brother to be arrested and fired.

Members of the Police Accountability Board on Tuesday called on city officials to include them in ongoing investigations following the death of Daniel Prude after he was restrained and suffocated while in custody. He died a week later.

The civilian-run board, which was established to investigate police misconduct, has been excluded from deliberations over the Rochester Police Department, board chair Shani Wilson said. She said that undermines the point of having an accountability board.