'No one is above the law': Stark Co. prosecuting attorney shares grand jury findings of Frank Tyson's death

CANTON, Ohio — After two Canton police officers were charged with reckless homicide in connection to the death of Frank Tyson Friday, the Stark County Prosecuting Attorney, Kyle Stone, shared the grand jury findings regarding the case.

Stone received the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation report on Tyson's death, leading him to present it to the grand jury earlier this week. Stone said that after deliberation, the jury chose to indict officers Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch with reckless homicide, which is a third-degree felony.

Witnesses told officers Tyson ran into a bar. Canton police body camera video showed police going hands-on when Tyson knocked over a chair.

The video showed a struggle as police took Tyson to the floor, and seconds later, an officer placed a knee on Tyson's back.

Tyson told officers he couldn't breathe seven times. Seven minutes passed from when Tyson was handcuffed to when officers realized something was wrong.

The officers began doing chest compressions and administering Narcan. Tyson was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

In August, Tyson's death was ruled a homicide.

Coroner rules Frank Tyson's death a homicide

What is prone restraint?

Tyson's cause of death was due to "cardiopulmonary arrest in association with physical altercation and prone restraint," according to the Stark County Coroner's Office.

Other factors listed by the coroner included ischemic cardiovascular disease, acute intoxication by cocaine and ethanol, as well as obesity.

Controversial arrest tactic front and center in Frank Tyson case

Prone restraint is a controversial arrest technique where a person is left face down.

In 1995, the Department of Justice put out a bulletin for law enforcement on positional asphyxia. It said that when a suspect is prone or face down, along with other risk factors, like drugs, alcohol and obesity, it could lead to sudden death.

One of the most recognizable cases of prone restraint was George Floyd in May 2020. However, there are several other cases in Northeast Ohio, such as Tanisha Anderson in November 2014.