NY AG releases bodycam video from death of Oneida Co. man in custody of police

Barnveld, NY - New York State Attorney General Letitia James released bodycam footage in an investigation into the death of Matthew Brown, who was in the custody of New York State Police in Oneida County.

On March 24, around 11:15 p.m., troopers responded to a residence in Barneveld for a 911 call. Troopers spoke with Brown and tried to take him into custody for a mental health evaluation. A struggle between Brown and the troopers ensued.

Brown was forced onto the ground and placed into handcuffs. An ambulance was then called, but Brown became unresponsive before it arrived. Brown was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead around 1 a.m. on March 25.

The footage released by James's office is from two troopers and a deputy with the Oneida County Sheriff's Office.

The video from Trooper D. Rotach's bodycam, which is 25 minutes long, shows when law enforcement first responded to the scene. In that footage, Brown appears confused and enters his home. The troopers follow him, and Brown's confusion continues. He says to the officers, what sounds like, "the bullet," and slowly approaches them. He then reaches toward the officer and the struggle ensues. He is placed in handcuffs when he is put on the ground.

The troopers can be heard telling Brown to "catch his breath." Brown is the ground breathing heavily. The troopers ask a person in the home if Brown takes any medications and or any drugs. That person responds by saying that Browns takes THC and it "sometimes throws him over the edge."

The police hold Brown, they wait for EMS crews to arrive. Brown is heard yelling, "Dad," with much of it being inaudible.

In total, the bodycam video from Trooper Rotach shows police holding Brown down for more than 20 minutes. During much of that time, they are instructing him to breathe.

Around the 23-minute mark, the police are attempting to get Brown upright. At this point, one officer requests a medical unit to come to the residence faster.

The video ends with someone in the residence demanding that EMTs get into the house quicker and informing them that Brown had "just stopped" breathing.