Death of man restrained in a Kansas jail is a homicide, authorities say

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MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The death of a Kansas inmate following a struggle with jail staff has been ruled a homicide and the case referred to prosecutors to determine whether to file charges, authorities say.

Charles Adair, 50, died at the Wyandotte County Detention Center in Kansas City, Kansas, on July 5, one day after he was arrested on misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear on multiple traffic violations.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation announced Friday that an autopsy report listed his manner of death as homicide and his cause of death as complications from “mechanical asphyxia," a condition where breathing is obstructed. The report didn't elaborate, but causes of obstructed breathing include physical force, an object or even body position, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Also contributing to Adair's death was cardiovascular disease and cirrhosis from chronic alcoholism, the autopsy found.

The KBI said it has turned over the findings of its investigation to the Wyandotte County prosecutor’s office. A spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office didn’t immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press on Sunday seeking comment.

On the night Adair died, he received medical care in the detention center's infirmary for a preexisting leg wound. The KBI said in an earlier news release that as staff tried to return him to his cell, he started yelling and physically resisting, so sheriff’s deputies responded and handcuffed him.

Once in his cell, deputies placed him on his lower bunk. But the release said he continued to resist as they attempted to remove the handcuffs. The report said they ultimately “gained control" before removing the cuffs and leaving his cell.

Just a few minutes later, medical staff was called to evaluate Adair and found that he was unresponsive. Emergency crews responded and attempted to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The KBI said at the time that it didn't see any other signs of obvious injury.

What happens next is unclear, although no charges were filed after a similar autopsy finding in the 2021 death of Cedric Lofton, a 17-year-old who became unresponsive while restrained at a Wichita juvenile detention center. In that case, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said the state’s “stand-your-ground” law prevented him from bringing any charges because staff members were protecting themselves.

Relatives of Adair didn't immediately respond to Facebook messages from the AP seeking comment.