DETROIT– A Detroit police officer has been charged with manslaughter in the death of a 71-year-old man who fell to the ground after being punched in the face, authorities said Tuesday.
Daryl Vance of Detroit died in September after three weeks in a hospital.
Vance was struck during a “verbal confrontation” with a 29-year-old officer outside a bowling alley on September 1, the prosecutor's office said. He fell to the ground and hit his head.
The officer on duty responded to a call that Vance was acting disorderly.
“Police officers often deal with citizens who are disorderly and verbally unpleasant. “But the evidence in this case shows that the officer was allegedly the aggressor, and his actions went beyond what was criminally necessary in this situation,” said prosecutor Kym Worthy.
The officer will appear in court for the first time on Wednesday.