Marvin David Scott III, Killed While Under Police Custody, Autopsy Ruled Homicide

Texas medical examiners in Collin County have ruled the death of in-custody victim Marvin David Scott III a homicide.

Scott was killed after being placed in a restraining bed and pepper sprayed as he wore a spit mask— designed to to prevent a person from spitting on officers—while in custody at the Collin County Detention Facility north of Dallas in March, CNN reported.

“[Scott died from a] fatal acute stress response in an individual with previously diagnosed schizophrenia during restraint struggle with law enforcement,” Collin County Medical Examiner Dr. William Rohr said in a statement.

The final autopsy report will be completed in the laboratory results, the release said.

Some accountability has already taken place: seven Collin County detention officers were fired and one resigned.

On March 14, Scott was arrested for possessing less than two ounces of marijuana, Sheriff Jim Skinner said, according to CBS News .

Scott “exhibited some strange behavior,” andwas “acting in an erratic manner” at an outlet mall, according to the Allen Police Department.

“At around 10:22 p.m., while being placed on the restraint bed, Mr. Scott became nonresponsive,” Skinner said. Staff tried to give him emergency medical attention, but realized he needed to be taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

An investigation by Texas Rangers was requested by Skinner, who also started his own internal investigation the day after Scott’s death. “I was broken-hearted to learn that someone had died in our custody,” Skinner told reporters.

“The death of this young man is a profound tragedy,” he added.

Scott’s family members got the opportunity to see video footage of his death this week.

“When I was watching this, I felt like I wanted to be there for him, but I couldn’t. It was too late,” an unnamed family member said, according to CBS News. “And we ask for justice because at this point that’s all we can ask for.”