Incident

Date	Feb 07, 2017
Department	Buffalo Police Department
Officers	Todd C. Mcalister , Nicholas J. Parisi
Address	Hoyt Street Buffalo, NY

Incident Description

Officers Todd C. McAlister and Nicholas J. Parisi tried to handcuff Wardel “Meech” Davis outside a house on the West Side. One of the officers admitted he punched Meech during the struggle, after which the 20-year-old stopped breathing. Meech died a short time later, and even though his death was ruled a homicide, medical records say he died from pre-existing breathing problems that were exacerbated during the struggle.

The officers were not charged and remain on the force. The attorney general said there was "no evidence" to contradict the officers' accounts because there were no witnesses and no video evidence such as body camera footage or dash camera footage. He added that there was "real need of reform" not only with the police department, but also with the Erie County Medical Examiner’s office, particularly because medical officials insisted on checking with police before making their medical rulings on the death.

Links

WARDEL DAVIS SR. et al - v. - CITY OF BUFFALO et al
Wrongful death civil suit - Erie County Supreme Court
I-Team: Digging into the Wardel Davis death investigation
He adds that there is "real need of reform" not only with the police department, but also with the Erie County Medical Examiner’s office, particularly because medical officials insisted on checking with police before making their medical rulings on the death. - WKBW | Charlie Specht
Report on the Investigation into The Death of Wardel Davis III
"Based on these facts, there is insufficient evidence to warrant any criminal charges in this matter. The only witnesses to the physical altercation are the two BPD officers involved in it and there is no video evidence of the altercation. The officers reported that they used force to subdue Mr. Davis in the course of an arrest. The medical evidence shows that Mr. Davis sustained injuries, including injuries to his face that are consistent with a struggle." - New York State Office of the Attorney General