Autopsy of man who died after Key West arrest shows 10 cracked ribs

BY SEAN KINNEY, KeysInfoNet

A Michigan man who died after being taken down by Key West police had 10 broken ribs, according to an autopsy report.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement remains tight-lipped about its investigation into the Nov. 28 death of Charles Eimers a week after he had his run-in with police.

Monroe County Medical Examiner E. Hunt Scheuerman made clear that his report, released last week in response to a public records request, is distinct from a final report on his findings and opinion. Before he finalizes that, he's awaiting FDLE's report on the circumstances surrounding Eimers' death.

"In this particular case no opinions have been rendered," Scheuerman said.

Eimers, 61, of Birch Run, Mich., died at Lower Keys Medical Center after being taken off life support on Dec. 4.

Police pulled him over on North Roosevelt Boulevard on Nov. 28. Police said he pulled away from the traffic stop, drove through Old Town, then stopped his P.T. Cruiser on the sand at South Beach at the Atlantic end of Duval Street.

While police were handcuffing Eimers (he was on his stomach in the sand), he "began turning blue," according to Officer Thaddeus Calvart's account. At that point officers began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation as EMTS arrived and took over.

According to the autopsy report, Eimers had 10 broken ribs and wounds on both wrists. Key West attorney David Paul Horan, representing the Eimers family (no lawsuit has been filed) made the public-records request.

"We looked into that because we weren't getting anything from" Scheuerman, Horan said. "Frankly none of it surprised us except the 10 broken ribs. Can you imagine, in CPR?"

"I'm not going to explain anything in those objective findings. Anything I explain becomes an opinion," Scheuerman said.

Thebluepaper.com reported that "the patient was sick for another week at the hospital [after his arrest] and then refrigerated for another week prior to autopsy. Most of the indicators would have disappeared by then."

It also reported that tissue and other specimens taken from Eimers at Lower Keys Medical Center were destroyed. Hospital spokesman Randy Detrick said CEO Nikki Will would have to address that but she was unavailable for comment.

Meanwhile, FDLE spokesman Steve Arthur confirmed the "investigation remains active."

Asked to respond to reports that the 13 local police officers involved have declined to make statements to the FDLE, Arthur said, "We can't release any information until the investigation is complete and becomes a public record."

Horan said there's a meeting between the local police, attorneys from the Police Benevolent Association and FDLE set for Wednesday.

Those involved are Detective Janeth Calvert, sergeants Frank Zamora and Pablo Rodriguez, and officers Todd Stevens, Gary Lee Lovette, Kathyann Wanciak, Derek Wallis, Henry del Valle, Gabriel Garrido, Gustavo Medina, Nicholas Galbo, Thad Calvert and Matthew Johnson.

Comments

[katherine kovach]

Bet there won't be any real investigation of the obvious and there will be no punishment of any police officer for excessive force. Has there ever been?

[Robert J]

Yep, sounds like your "Typical" South Florida suicide. You'd be surprised how many people die this way. In Collier County; they simply vanish.

[Carrie]

"Oink Oink Oink "

"DO YOU KNOW THE CODE WORD"


FOR BEAT THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF AN INNOCENT PERSON.........?

"STOP RESISTING" billyclub billyclub billyclub - plant the dope
taser tasert taser - delete the video cam
billyclub - taser - lie through your fcking teeth

CODE OF BLUE SILENCE.... STOP THE MADNESS - DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS @ ALL COST'S !

[Johnnie]

Google : "broken ribs during CPR"..... It happens all the time.

[rudy]

Cops have better items in their to do lists than waste energy on unnecessary force display. But, must, they must. How is law enforcement upheld, these days? Blowing a whistle?… Mister, Mister, stop?
I wonder how those claiming 'pobrecito' would remain steadfast if the bad boy had just finished doing you.

[Kenneth Newman]

Its Floriduh, and something smells. Will the oder ever be found???????

[Ron Adams]

Jeez 10 broken ribs how do the police explain that. Probably not, since they are the official executioners and they never lose in court. I heard there are third world countries that allow these kind of executions, but never in America, not.

[Kim De]

They forgot to tell you in this story a few things.The police lied in their initial report. They said that suspect was combative. Then a video was released that showed that was not true. There were witnesses in the restaurant that said the police were tazering the man none stop. The witnesses also in or near the restaurant said a female officer was crying and telling people '' They Are Killing A man""If all of this is true , they should be put on trail and hopefully convicted.Why are cops out of control these days?? You have seen the video of the woman from Davie that was abused by the cop.

[Kim De]

If the corrupt cops are charged the judges and prosecutor is going to treat them with kid gloves. They are all interrelated. Anything detrimental to the defense of the cops will be disallowed. If the judge did run a fair trial with convictions given the police all over Florida will retaliate .They will punish the court, judge lawyer industry. How will they do that ??Cops will stop issuing summonses and notice to appear citations. What this will do is emty the courtrooms and lawyer offices. The lawyers who make their living as defense attorneys will not have any work. No work for them means little work for judges and court personnel. This is the courthouse law industries dirty little secret.

[jeff]

We'll all just spout a comment then slink back into fear. I dream of the day we change the system so it'll be better for us and our kids. Better just get back in line now, but I pity our coward asses for allowing this sort of legalized murder to go unpunished . At what point will I be willing to do something to change things, and will I still be able to by that point?

[Mary Taylor]

Charles John Eimers, the 61 yr old Michigan man that was murdered by The Key West Police Dept, on the beach on Thanksgiving Morning was my Brother. This whole situation sickens me, not only for my Brother, but also his four grieving children. He was a retired General Motors guy who LOVED the SUN and BEACH and the OCEAN. He did not have a mean or violent bone in his body and was clearly murdered by the KWPD in broad daylight in view of MANY bystanders. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don't let a corrupt police department brush this under the rug. They say he was resisting, which is clearly contrary to the video, but if your face, mouth and throat were caked with sand and you had ten broken ribs, wouldn;t you be struggling to breathe. MY GOD, PLEASE LET HIS KIDS AND HID GRANDKIDS AND HIS FAMILY have some justice and some closure from this heinous act.

[Rick]

2 years ago I was beaten nearly to death by bouncers and cops at dirty harrys bar. I spent time in the hospital, and needless to say the trama I took to the head still effects my vision to this day. I was pepper sparayed twice and tased twice. I had bruises all over my body, and when I woke up, I was lying on a jail room floor feeling like a mack truck ran me over. Really didnt remember that much of the incident. As I sat there, I began to remember that I had questioned my bill. Not the amount, but rather I stated I had already paid the bill. My wife was waiting in the bathroom line which took about 20min. I knew some people there that said they saw me having a heated discussion with the manager. Needless to say a big bouncer grabbed me from behind and when I tried to resist, because of my concerns for my wife, they carried me into the ally. I dont remember much from that point other than being tased over and over until I soiled myself! Everything went black. When I woke, I was lying face down naked on a jail room cell floor., I had staples in my head, and felt horrible. Within a few hours i was in front of a judge being charged with 3 counts of "NON-Violent Battery" A gentleman we ran into after i was released, said the police officer picked me up and threw me into the wall, while i was handcuffed. In the end, I had no real witnesses to step up. The reason I had a case against all of them was that I had
paid my bill like I had argued, and my bank showed a double charge. Too bad I didnt have any witnesses!

[Terry]

Well the SS is at it again. Heil Hitler!

[shahdaroba rodd]

I used to live in Key West; 14 years. I moved only 6 weeks ago. from what I have seen and been involved in, the KWPD cops will lie about anything; they will lie about everything. small stuff; big stuff -- doesn't matter, they lie. and the local judges go along with this stuff. The whole system in Key West is rotten beyond belief. Back in 1996 a cop wrote me 2 tickets while I was on a bicycle. we went to court; he lied. it only took me 4+ years to prove it; he was later made to resign. In the Eimers case, I believe it is plain the cops lied in their reports. The city commission is to blame about this because they set the tone for the enforcement against anyone they don't like or they believe is homeless. The cops of Key West KILLED Mr. Eimers!

[USCIT]

This is typical..
LE should be very Paranoid...they are making there own undoing and Payback!

[D Clark]

Some of these cops are no better than the people they arrest only difference they wear a badge