Coroner's office blames drug use in bizarre death

The bizarre events that preceded William Parker Martin's death last summer led police and pathologists to suspect that a drug overdose killed the 19-year-old college freshman from Brecksville.

But his mother didn't believe it. She sued Broadview Heights police Monday to force them to turn over reports, videotapes, photographs and any other evidence related to Martin's death.

She and her attorney expected the autopsy would show that his death was a homicide and place the blame on the police officers who fought with him during his arrest.

Dr. Stanley Seligman of the Cuyahoga County coroner's office confirmed Wednesday that Martin likely died as a result of a homicide, but he said the police weren't responsible.

Seligman said he suspects Martin was a victim of a controversial drug-induced phenomenon known as excited delirium.

"Death occurs when a person secretes so much adrenaline that they suffer a cardiac arrest," Seligman said. "I think his heart just gave out."

On Aug. 16, Martin -- acting strangely and not wearing a stitch of clothing -- broke into an elderly couple's Broadview Heights home about 2 a.m., asked to use the shower, then fought with the occupants.

When police arrived at the Scenicview Drive apartment, Martin jumped out of a window and ran. An officer tackled him, and, after a scuffle, was able to subdue Martin, who repeatedly yelled, "I want to die," according to a police report.

The officer struggled to cuff his wrists. It took three officers to secure him as he knocked off one of the officer's glasses and bit one of their fingers. Martin suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing. Police officers took turns administering CPR until an emergency medical crew arrived 25 minutes later, according to police and doctor's reports.

EMS transported Martin to Parma Community General Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead at 3:06 a.m.

Eight days after Martin's death, family lawyer Larry Zukerman filed a public records request with Broadview Heights, seeking copies of the police reports. When the city failed to comply after four months, Zukerman suspected a cover-up and filed the lawsuit Monday to force the city to hand over the records.

In the lawsuit, Martin's mother, Tanya, said Seligman told her that he initially expected a toxicology report would confirm his suspicion that a drug overdose killed her son. Martin, according to one of his friends, had popped a pill the friend believed was Ecstasy that night, police reported.

But blood tests showed there was no Ecstasy, only LSD and a prescribed anti-depressant, in Martin's system. Those drugs that might have explained his odd behavior, but not his death, Zukerman said.

"You can have a bad trip, but LSD doesn't kill you," Zukerman said.

Police, in their reports, provided detailed descriptions of punching Martin and of using the full weight of their bodies to subdue the slippery, squirming suspect.

Seligman told Tanya Martin that he found bruises and abrasions on her son's body, as well as evidence that pressure had been applied to his neck.

But Seligman said police officers didn't kill Martin by smothering him with unreasonable force.

"I think it was a case of excited delirium, which can occur as a result of LSD intoxication," Seligman said.

While coroners in several area counties -- including Cuyahoga, Lake and Stark-- have cited excited delirium in reports on in-custody deaths, it remains a theory. No reputable medical organization, such as the American Medical Association, recognizes excited delirium as a medical condition.

Some civil rights groups have said that excited delirium is a diagnosis used to cover up police brutality.

Chief Robert Lipton said he invited the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation to conduct an objective review of his officers' actions, and he has no reason to suspect the officers did anything wrong.

The day before his death, Martin was released from Glenbeigh Health Sources, a private drug and alcohol recovery clinic in Greater Cleveland. Zukerman said Martin was a bright student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., the top-rated school of its kind in the country. He said Martin had no serious prior criminal record.

Broadview Heights city attorney Vince Ruffa said the delay by the coroner's office in issuing its autopsy report was the reason for the noncompliance. He said he would send Zukerman all of the records he asked for, and expected Martin's mother to drop the lawsuit.

With the autopsy verdict of homicide, police would be able to charge Martin's drug supplier with a crime such as manslaughter, if they choose.