Overdose blamed for man's death in Sacramento police custody

An autopsy has concluded that a man who died in a Sacramento police wagon succumbed to a drug overdose.|
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

SACRAMENTO - An autopsy has concluded that a man who died in a Sacramento police wagon succumbed to a drug overdose.

The results, released Wednesday, say 30-year-old Brandon Smith succumbed to accidental methamphetamine intoxication and a plastic baggie was found in his stomach.

The autopsy says Smith had a few scrapes but showed no signs of being fatally choked or injured.

Smith died June 6 while police were taking him from a detoxication center to county jail for violating parole by using illegal drugs. Police body camera video showed the handcuffed man breathing heavily and telling officers he felt as if he were having a heart attack.

Smith was unresponsive when he arrived at the jail and pronounced dead despite efforts to resuscitate him.

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