Orlando police release evidence in hanging death of Nevan Baker
Authorities found no evidence of foul play in Baker's death, noting the young man attempted suicide before.
New evidence has been released in the Florida hanging death of 22-year-old Nevan Baker.
“The Orlando Police Department is committed to transparency and strengthening trust with everyone in our community,” Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolón said in a statement.
In their report, police records found no evidence of foul play and noted the young man had twice previously attempted suicide.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, an autopsy determined the rope marks around Baker’s neck were upward, which is consistent with self-harm, the report said.
Read More: Florida couple say they faced discrimination in home appraisal due to wife’s race
Police also released 911 calls and footage from the body-worn cameras of officers who responded to the incident on Oct. 5.
“I was walking my dog, and there’s a guy in the middle of the park hanging,” a male voice told responders in a 911 call. “He’s got a rope around his neck. He’s hanging right now.”
Read More: Jamaicans in Florida energized by Harris on 2020 ticket
The new evidence was released at the request of the Orlando Sentinel after Baker’s family insisted that he would not harm himself.
The family said witnesses had told them Baker was bruised and possibly missing teeth, however, police released photos that did not appear to show visible injuries.
Read More: Brother of Chadwick Boseman reveals own cancer battle, in remission
Police also said Baker’s clothes were not torn or tattered and claim there were no signs of a struggle. They also said that detectives searched the park for a suicide note but did not find one.
In body camera footage, officers are seen working to cut the young man down from the tree. The video showed that Baker’s hands were not bound, which disputes an online rumor.
Read More: John Legend dedicates BBMAs performance to Chrissy Teigen following miscarriage
In another video, officers are seen rousing a man who had been sleeping on a bench in the park to ask him if he had seen anything.
According to the Sentinel report, Baker’s grandmother, Francine James, told detectives that he had previously attempted suicide in 2018 and again in 2019. His mother told the newspaper that it was only once.
In the week since Baker’s death, the investigation has revealed further mistrust in the Orlando Police Department after a summer of multiple instances of Black people found dead hanging in public spaces.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s “Dear Culture” podcast? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.today!
More About:News
You Might Like
