SAN FRANCISCO– Relatives of a Navy veteran who died in 2020 after a police officer pressed a knee against his neck for nearly five minutes while he was in a mental health crisis have settled a federal lawsuit against the Northern California city of Antioch for $7.5 million, their attorneys said. said Wednesday.
After Angelo Quinto’s death, his family also pushed for reforms that led to city and state changes in how law enforcement agencies respond to people in mental health crises.
John Burris, one of the attorneys, said in a statement that while no amount of money can compensate for Quinto’s death, “his family should be commended for their continued commitment to improving the relationship between the community and the Antioch Police Department.”
The lawsuit alleged that Antioch police officers used excessive force when restraining Quinto. Named as defendants were the city of Antioch, then-Police Chief Tammany Brooks and four officers who responded to a 911 call from Quinto’s family.
The family called the police on December 23, 2020, because the 30-year-old was in psychological distress and needed help. One officer pressed a knee on his neck for nearly five minutes while another held his legs, the complaint said.
After about five minutes of the prone position, Quinto appeared completely unresponsive, the lawsuit said. He lost consciousness and was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died three days later.
Quinto’s death came months after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police and amid a national outcry over police brutality.
In the aftermath, Antioch police officers were equipped with body cameras and city officials created a mental health crisis team and a police commission.
Quinto’s mother, Cassandra Quinto-Collins, thanked the city of Antioch for the policy changes and said her family’s fight is not over.
“I thank you for what has been a courageous start to achieving transparency and accountability for the Antioch Police Department so it can serve our diverse community with respect and mutual trust,” Quinto-Collins said.
Born in the Philippines, Quinto served in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged in 2019 due to a food allergy, according to his family.
He suffered from depression for most of his life, but his behavior changed after an apparent seizure in early 2020, when he woke up in a hospital with no memory of what happened, with stitches and serious injuries. He then began having episodes of paranoia and anxiety, his family said.