It’s been a month since California cops pulled over a 37-year-old Black man named Bryan Bostic, who told them he was on his way to see his mother, but ended up dying after police forced him out of the car and onto the ground with several cops piling on top of him.
Inglewood police have yet to release any details, but city officials have released the usual boilerplate statements that they cannot release any information because the case is under investigation.
But Bostic’s family obtained an audio recording from the traffic stop as well as a video recorded by a witness that indicates he was pulled over for unspecified reasons, and forced out of the car because his driver’s license may have been suspended.
Now Bostic’s family has retained an attorney who filed a notice of claim against the city of Inglewood, which is the first step in filing a lawsuit against a government agency.
“The IPD officers’ use of force against BRYAN BOSTIC was unreasonable, excessive, and not necessary to defend human life,” states the notice of claim filed by California attorney Denisse Gastélum.
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“The IPD officers’ failure to summon immediate medical care to BRYAN BOSTIC was inhumane and was deliberately indifferent to his constitutional rights.”
“Consequently, BRYAN BOSTIC died as a result of the IPD officers’ actions and inactions,” the notice of claim continues.
Watch the video below, which contains portions of the audio recording.
‘I’m Going to See My Mom’
Bostic was pulled over at around 9:30 p.m. on March 10 after police “initiated a routine traffic stop,” the notice of claim states.
“I don’t have nothing, I’m going to see my mom, I don’t have nothing, no sir,” he said in the audio recording.
The audio recording, which is muffled at times, also appears to show Bostic accusing the cops of violating his rights before it sounds like they are discussing a suspended license.
“Yeah, it should be valid, but it was due for suspension like in a week,” Bostic said.
“I got the paperwork in the back.”
But moments later, the conversation escalates with the cop yelling “stop” before the recording ends.
The video recorded by a witness and provided to Atlanta Black Star by Gastélum begins with a cop straddling Bostic, who is lying facedown on the street.
Another cop holding a flashlight is standing next to them, not getting involved in the struggle, but then two more cops pull up and pile on top of him, telling him to “stop resisting” – although they clearly have him under control.
Despite his voice being muffled, it sounds like he is asking, “What are you doing?” as they arrest him.
The notice of claim accuses the cops of killing him, then denying him medical care, transporting him to the Inglewood Police Department instead of a hospital.
“Upon information and belief, BRYAN BOSTIC arrived deceased at the Inglewood Police Department,” the notice of claim states.
“BRYAN BOSTIC died as a result of the injuries he sustained during the encounter with IPD officers.”
“At no point during this encounter was BRYAN BOSTIC suspected of a violent offense, armed, or an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to any officer or other person,” the notice of claim continues.
The notice of claim accuses the cops of violating Bostic’s Fourth and 14th Amendment rights through unreasonable detention, excessive force, false arrest and negligence.
‘We Don’t Know Anything’
On March 24, Gastélum sent the police department a letter demanding they preserve all the evidence and requesting the names of the officers involved, the police reports, witness statements, the autopsy, transcripts, dispatch audio recordings, and any video evidence, including body, dash, and street videos.
But the statement released to local media by the city states that the Inglewood police officers do not use body cameras, but they plan to do so soon.
The City and Police Department await the findings of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office as to the cause of death, which is a critical component to understand the cause of death.
The IPD is conducting a comprehensive internal investigation. A separate and independent investigation is being conducted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. We look forward to the findings of these independent investigations. At that point, all of the facts of the stop and circumstances surrounding this incident will be available.
The Inglewood Police Department has been researching a complete upgrade for its police automation tools and its Real Time Crime Center for about six months. Part of that package, which is being negotiated with potential vendors, has always and continues to include body-worn cameras.
A selection and agreement will be put before the City Council when the process is completed. We continue to give our condolences to the family of Bryan Bostic.
Meanwhile, Bostic’s family has been left in the dark since his death.
“We need to know what happened. Why did you guys stop him?” said Bostic’s cousin, Talia Castillo, in an Instagram video recorded during a protest last month.
“Why did he not make it back to his family? That’s what we need to know; we need answers.”
“We don’t know anything. All we know is that a routine traffic stop turned deadly.”
Castillo created a GoFundMe to raise money for legal fees and for Bostic’s daughter, which has raised $3,507 as of this writing.
