Alameda, California – Nearly three years after the death of Mario Gonzalez while in custody, three Alameda police officers are now facing involuntary manslaughter charges. The decision to file charges was made by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday, targeting officers Eric McKinley, James Fisher, and Cameron Leahy for their involvement in the incident.
The announcement of charges comes after District Attorney Pamela Price reopened Gonzalez’s case earlier this year. This move contradicted the decision made by the previous district attorney, Nancy O’Malley, who had cleared the officers of any criminal wrongdoing. Price cited the officers’ decisions to detain and arrest Gonzalez, as well as their use of force, as reasons for pressing charges.
In a shift from the initial autopsy report attributing Gonzalez’s death to the “toxic effects of methamphetamine,” a second autopsy revealed that he died of asphyxiation. This new evidence likely played a role in the decision to pursue charges against the officers involved.
The incident occurred when Alameda police responded to a call regarding a disorderly person in a public park on April 19, 2021. Body camera footage showed officers pinning Gonzalez face down for over six minutes, sparking outrage and demands for accountability from his family and community members.
Cat Brooks, the executive director of the Anti Police-Terror Project, expressed doubt in the pursuit of justice, stating that the road to conviction for law enforcement officers is often challenging. She called for more severe charges against the officers facing involuntary manslaughter charges.
As the legal process unfolds, one of the three officers involved is no longer employed by the Alameda Police Department, while the other two have been placed on administrative leave. If convicted, they could face up to four years in state prison and are expected to appear in court in May to answer to the charges brought against them.