WHAT? he died because he is schizophrenic and became excited? The kicks to the head didn't kill him??? Or the beating he received? Not only is the EPPD crooked, so is the ME. If if looks like a cover up and smells like a cover up....

That has got to be the biggest, smelliest pile of bull feces that has yet to come out of that office, and we are not buying it for one second.

We would like to reiterate that we have no confidence in our police officer’s actions that occurred during this incident and the training that they relied on. We still believe that our officers excercised no restraint whatsoever with the level of force that they used.

And based upon the recent messup with the lead paint suit, we don't have a whole lotta faith in the AG's office, either.

ACLU, help!

This man's death was CLEARLY caused by the condition called "I have a badge, therefore I have power" syndrome-which afflicts most cops who had they not become a cop, would be picking up garbage for the city. Most of these guys are just brainless, and clueleas when it comes to handling more than a speeding ticket. Instead of teaching them how to hang at Dunkin' Donuts waiting for the chickkebabes who love "men in uniform" maybe they should be required to take an abnormal psychology class. That way they would know how to handle situations such as this and also how to deal with the irate chickeebabes when they find out that they are NOT "the only one."

Excited delirium happens frequently around the country. As does SICDS (Sudden in custody death syndrome.

Maybe the mental health advocates should train their clients on how to interact with society, and how to act when dealing with the police.

Had this gentlemen dropped his knife and not fought with the police this would have not happened. Had the gentlemen in West Warwick cooperated with their investigation and complied with their commands his situation might not have happened.

It is the suspect who decides how much force is used...not the police.

So, for 40 years this man did not die from "excited delirium"...but after 15 minutes of being kicked to the head by 6 East Providence Police officers he got; excited? The police force did not have tasers, they had incredibly inadequate training in dealing with mentally ill people...4 hours of training during the academy to deal with 25% of your work load as a cop. Alert: if you or a family member in the state of Rhode Island have a mental illness be prepared to get beat to death and be labeled as excited. Clearly anyone mentally ill is not protected by the Constitution. It is very sad that the state's medical examiner would be as corrupt as the East Providence Police Department. Murder and a cover up. At least everyone was working together for once. Please attorney general do not be part of the cover up too...please ACLU stay involved in bringing justice...please FBI take on this case.

East Providence police are known the state over as being a bunch of renegade, bully cops.

What other town can a person be pulled over for no reason and be intimidated while 5 squad cars surround them?

The murdered Mr. Farias. Maybe not intentionally, but they murdered him.

The police here in Rhode Island and the sheriffs of other states as well, don't understand the illness. They're all to quick to react with muscles and tazers.

I am completely disgusted. Hmm, I wonder what the "cause of death" will be in the West Warwick case that occurred most recently.

It is clear that police depts need to be properly trained on how to handle those who are mentally ill. I have absolutely no respect for those police officers (if you could call them that) involved, or for the entire department for that matter.

Dr. Barden needs to intervene and do an autopsy. If Dr. Barden isn't available, then Dr. G should be called.

Of note, the AMA does NOT recognize "excited delirium syndrome"....but police and MEs do...and it is obvious why. Wait and see -- this is what will be reported from the ME's office on the West Warwick case as well. Not helpful.

OK. So what about the Joyal's Liquor episode? The cops beat that man to death too! He was just innocently having a walk behind Joyal's Liquor Store and he gets beaten to death by the West Warwick cops!

Why? Because the cops seem to HATE mentally disabled people of large stature!

If I was the cop coming to that scene at Joyals Liquor store I would of done things so much different. The call stated some people were destroying the Joyal's Liquor Store sign. The cop would pull up, see the sign was not damaged and also notice a man in the back walking. OK. No damaged sign. I would of then (since it was a misdemenour episode anyway) asked the man if he saw anyone trying to destroy the sign; softly, and not combatively, since there was no apparent damage done. If the man, (Mark the victim), would of said anything or not answered at all, I would not of bothered since there was no damage done anyway!

So, why did the cop bother Mark? Why did he automatically start "messin" with him? There was no damage, no people doing damage, no crime. Just because someone called and reported something, doesn't always mean it's as serious as reported on the phone.

No crime was actually being committed at the time for the cop to take that kind of action as calling in back up, etc. Mark did not yield any weapons on the cop. He did not approach the cop. So why did the West Warwick cops beat that poor man to death? Because he was a large man? Because he didn't understand why he was being confronted in a combative manner? Because he was screaming "I love you" to his mom in the nearby apartment as they mercilessly beat him to death?

I say those cops responsible for Mark's death DESERVE life imprisonment for murder! What are they, the GESTAPO? This is still a free country? Leonel was brandishing a knife, but he could of been spoken with to drop the knife by someone with half a brain. No, he was attacked instead.

Is the medical examiner going to give out the same stupid excuse that Mark became too excited? I say, Mark's family should get an outside opinion! As well as Leanol's family! Go outside and get a reputable opinion and have those cops treated like any regular citizen and send them to the ACI!

Rhode Island is crooked enough without having to have harrassment and death caused by the cops. They are supposed to be trained? Trained to be violent, mean bullies? And the cops want citizens to respect them? ONE HAS TO EARN IT FIRST!!!!

That Loation gang in Providence is having the book thrown at them for bullying up on those two innocent young men. Kids are getting thrown in prison for bullying people. But the cops? NO.

I cry for those families that are the victims of cop abuse. We need to stand up to them! Not put out more money for training that does no good anyway for those buffoons. We throw too much money to the cops already for nothing. How many crimes have THEY solved? One has to wonder if they need to be reorganized. It seems all they really do is harrass people and beat them up. Scary huh? If your mentally disabled, you better hide! And if your also a large man, watch out!

As a retired psychotherapist, I have never heard os Excited Delirium Syndrome. It is not recognized in the psychiatric literature and seems to exist mostly in the eyes of police and medical examiners. A short explantion follows:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3804/is_200307/ai_n9301741

This just typifies the crooked climate that exists here in RI. How can a mental illness cause death when you have 6 to 7 police officers beating this man. This premise just goes beyond belief and comprehension. It also shows how the ME in is bed with the EPPD in fueling this obvious cover up. There is no doubt that these findings will be the basis EPPD will use on why the Farias family should not collect from a wrongful death suit. This, once again, makes me thank god I live in Mass and not in East Providence.

I concur with Tom S regarding "excited delirium syndrome". The literature does not support it.

Since nobody on this blog witnessed the incident, nobody can definitively state the events of the WW incident.

More training of police officers to handle those with mental illness would be a waste of time because regardless of the events, the police need to protect themselves against an aggressive acts, regardless of the source.

For example, even trained mental health professionals often have a hard time telling the difference between a psychotic break, drug-induced rage, or simple case of over-the-top rage.

In the case of the police, it doesn't matter. If they feel threatened, they must act to protect themselves.

If pepper spray didn't put the guy down in WW, my first reaction would have been the guy was on PCP.
~ClearThinker

This "EDS" terminology is just another way of saying "Frightened To Death"; and who wouldn't be while being accosted by a group of police ? The big question in these cases is whether the police response was necessary or proportional to the threat; and/or if there was any evidence of a crime being committed in the first place ( the recent W. Warwick incident ).

The world itself is a madhouse, and RI often seems like a particularly 'crazy' ward.

Again; with respect to the recent W. Warwick death - Too bad the local Fire Inspectors didn't bring the same ' over the top' , 'gung-ho', attitude to their work. Huh ?

reputable opinions can be gotten anywhere...for a price...

I'll bet Brian Mylniec (the guy who is currently on trial for murder, accused of beating and strangling a woman to death in the summer of 2006) and his lawyer are slapping their foreheads on this one. "Sudden death complicating Excited Delirium Syndrome, that's the ticket. Why didn't we think of that before!"

Yeah, he tied up the woman, roughed her up and strangled her just the way she liked it, and she died. Obviously it was her fault for getting so Excited.

My suggestion: put ol' Brian and these cops in the same cell, and let 'em all go at it. Knock yourselves out.

What a ridiculous diagnosis!! The only people ever to have had Excited Delirium Syndrome are the Boston Red Sox fans in 2004-and rightfully so. As for saying a "MURDERED" man died from that-SHAME ON THE MEDICAL EXAMINER!!!!!!