Terry L. Cooper Jr.
Terry Cooper, 25, was held at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, when he died on May 19, 2016. His family's federal civil rights lawsuit says guards assaulted him that evening, then delayed or denied the inhaler and medical care he asked for during an asthma attack, and that staff gave him ineffective CPR. The state's autopsy, by forensic pathologist Michael Sikirica, classified the death as natural, caused by cardiorespiratory arrest consistent with an acute asthma exacerbation, while a second pathologist, Zhongxue Hua, said it should have been classified as a homicide. A federal jury later awarded his mother, Tracy Yvonne Cooper, $9.25 million, finding that officers used excessive force against him, and his father said, "We're looking for justice."
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). The state autopsy by pathologist Michael Sikirica ruled his asthma-related death natural, while a second pathologist, Zhongxue Hua, said it should be a homicide, and a federal jury found officers used excessive force against him, and his family's lawsuit says guards assaulted him and delayed or denied the inhaler and medical care he requested.
Reported by: Michael Sikirica, forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy (medical examiner or coroner); Zhongxue Hua, second pathologist (medical examiner or coroner); federal jury in his family's civil rights lawsuit (court); his family and their attorneys, in a federal civil rights lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Custody: Serving a sentence.
Lawsuit: His mother won a federal jury award of $9.25 million after the family sued, with the jury finding that officers used excessive force against him.