HAVERHILL, Mass. — The 43-year-old man who died after a struggle with Haverhill police in July died from an irregular heartbeat due to the combined effects of drugs and alcohol in his system while he was being restrained by police, the Office of the Medical Examiner said Friday.
The cause of Francis Gigliotti’s death is officially listed as “Cardiac dysrhythmia in a person with acute intoxication due to the combined effects of cocaine and ethanol while being restrained prone by police,” the medical examiner wrote in his report.
Gigliotti’s official manner of death was determined to be homicide, medically defined as the killing of one person by another, but does not mean the Haverhill police officers involved will face charges in his death.
A man has been arrested for allegedly selling drugs to Gigliotti hours before his death but is not yet facing charges for the Haverhill man’s death.
According to officials, the initial call to Haverhill police on July 11 was for a man acting erratically on White Street, weaving in and out of traffic.
Once officers arrived on the scene, they said Francis ran to Bradford Seafood while acting belligerently.
Officers said they tried to restrain him for “safety purposes”.
On video, multiple first responders can be seen surrounding Francis outside Bradford Seafood on Winter Street.
Some officers appear to be holding him down, and some people can be heard noticeably upset in the video.
During the interaction, Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker said Gigliotti became unresponsive, and CPR was performed.
Gigliotti was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Mayor of Haverhill, Melinda Barrett, issued a statement regarding the Medical Examiner’s report:
“I am aware of the statement made by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office regarding findings related to the death of Francis Gigliotti. The Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was “Cardiac dysrhythmia in a person with acute intoxication due to the combined effects of cocaine and ethanol while being restrained prone by police” and the manner of death was determined to be “Homicide.” It is important to clarify that, in this context, <i>homicide</i> is a medical classification and does not, in itself, determine whether any actions were lawful or unlawful.
The District Attorney’s Office continues to conduct an independent investigation into whether the officers’ actions were legally justified. That process is still underway, and no conclusions should be drawn until the investigation is complete.
The Haverhill Police Officers involved remain on paid administrative leave in accordance with standard procedure, and the Department continues to offer its full cooperation with the District Attorney.
I have pledged transparency throughout this process, and that commitment has not changed. My office will share additional information with the public as soon as it is appropriate and legally permissible to do so.”
— Mayor Melina Barrett
Seven Haverhill police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of the investigation.
The names of the officers involved have not been made public.
In a statement, the Gigliotti family said that Haverhill police created a circumstance where deadly force was necessary.
The Gigliotti family is gratified that the medical examiner’s office has accurately described the manner of Francis’ death as a homicide. If the police needlessly create a circumstance where they claim deadly force is necessary, they will not enjoy the shield of immunity from prosecution or civil remedies in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We look forward to the completion of the investigation by the district attorney’s office and the commencement of a criminal prosecution.
— Gigliotti family statement
The Essex County District Attorney’s office says they are still investigating the incident and will review all information, including the medical examiner’s findings, to determine if the officers were justified in using the amount of force they did.
“We remain committed to impartiality, thoroughness, and transparency in this investigation,” Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker said in a statement.
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