Video Shows Different Account of What Happened

PORTLAND, Ore.

The attorney for the family of a mentally ill man who died in police custody has released a jailhouse video that captures officers' earliest statements about what occurred and appears to contradict at least one Portland officer's account of what happened.

James Chasse died Sept. 17, 2006, after he was arrested following a foot chase in the Pearl District. Officers said they thought the 42-year-old man had urinated on the street and was on drugs.

Chasse, who suffered from schizophrenia, died after suffering 16 broken ribs, including some that punctured a lung and caused massive internal bleeding, according to autopsy results.

In an interview with investigators a few days after the incident, Officer Christopher Humphreys said he shoved Chasse down and then fell onto the sidewalk, past Chasse.

But the video of officers talking at the jail after they brought Chasse in captures Humphreys telling a sheriff's deputy that "we tackled him" and Chasse landed "hard." As Humphreys is heard telling jail staff that the officers tackled Chasse, his partner is seen showing a "bear-hug" stance.

The video, recently enhanced by professionals to make the dialogue intelligible, was released Thursday by Tom Steenson, the Chasse family attorney, and first made public by the Portland Tribune.

Hours after the video's public release, police Chief Rosie Sizer asked the internal affairs investigators who reviewed Chasse's death to re-examine it.

"Because the video contains enhanced audio that has not been previously available to investigators, I have asked the Internal Affairs Division to review all statements made by every member of the Police Bureau to determine if it would be appropriate to open a new investigation," Sizer said in a statement. "If appropriate, I will do so."

The 13-minute video ends with police and jail sheriff's deputies hauling Chasse out of jail. Chasse, who can be heard moaning, died while police were driving him to a hospital.

The Chasse family has filed a federal lawsuit against the city, police and county. A Multnomah County grand jury found no criminal wrongdoing in the case.

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Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com