Almost four years after Angelo Quinto’s death by Antioch police officers, his family is still going through the courts to get justice.
“Every level of legal criminal system that we have encountered, we have seen countless avenues for (police) officers to avoid accountability,” says Bella Quinto Collins, Angelo’s sister.
On Friday, the family was in court, yet again, for a hearing challenging what they call false claims that Quinto’s death was an accident caused by excited delirium. The FBI defines “excited delirium,” as a potentially deadly medical condition characterized by psychosis, an extreme fight-or-flight response, and violent behavior.
“It is so important because that changes whether it was an accident or homicide,” explains Ben Nisenbaum, an attorney for the Quinto family. “That the death certificate accurately reflects what killed Mr. Quinto.”
On December 23, 2020, Quinto was experiencing a mental health episode. His family called police. They claim Antioch police officers used excessive force while restraining him, causing his death. An autopsy ordered by the family found Quinto died by asphyxiation.