Angelo Quinto's family has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Antioch, its police department and the four officers involved in his in-custody death last December.
The suit, filed Sunday in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California, alleged Quinto's civil rights were violated by officers who knelt on his neck for more than six minutes while he was handcuffed, facedown on the floor.
Quinto's sister, Isabella, called 911 two days before Christmas to say her brother was having a mental health crisis. Attorney John Burris told reporters on Monday that Quinto's mother, Maria Quinto-Collins, was hugging him as officers arrived on Dec. 23.
"They threw him to the floor and then, inexplicably, handcuffed him and then put a knee, a la George Floyd, on the back of his neck," Burris said.
Quinto's family first filed a wrongful death lawsuit in February. The following month, the Antioch Police Department said officers didn't use an illegal chokehold on Quinto during the arrest.
Ben Nisenbaum, Burris' colleague, said they named Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks in the lawsuit, in addition to the four officers who responded the night of Quinto's death, after Brooks said the deaprtment had issued a toxicology report because of Quinto's previous drug use.
A toxicology screen showed no drugs or alcohol in Quinto's system. Officers told paramedics Quinto "was using methamphetamines," according to the lawsuit.
"We know how Angelo died," Nisenbaum said. "He died at the hands of these officers. They're responsible. Everything since then from the police has been trying to cover up and trying to somehow put the shade and the blame on Angelo and his family."
Quinto's family said they take solace in the fact Quinto's death prompted the city in March to approve police body cameras for the first time.
But, they all know they can't bring Quinto back.
"We will continue to try and just diminish the possibility of people dying in this way, or even just being impacted in this way," Isabella Quinto said. "It's something. Death is permanent, but so is our pain."
KCBS Radio reached out to the Antioch Police Department and City Attorney's Office for comment. So far, neither has responded.
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