HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Dauphin County District Attorney closes the criminal investigation into the death of Tyrique Riley. He found no criminal wrongdoing. Riley died in July while in the Dauphin County Prison custody. The coroner said yesterday, he died from natural causes.
Chardo says in hindsight some things should have been done differently, but found not criminal acts in his investigation.
"Would I deal with it differently, with Monday morning quarterbacking it," asked Chardo. "Obviously. But, I'm not going to second guess somebody who didn't have the benefit of knowing what we now know."
In a 911 call released by the District Attorney's office, Riley's mother claims he began again weird a few days prior. On the night he was arrested, Riley was taken to Dauphin County Prison where he was to be seen by medical staff. Dauphin County Department of Corrections Director, Brian Clark says, Riley refused. He says, he was showing the typical signs of someone dealing with mental health issues or detoxing.
Moving forward, Clark says the prison is learning from this incident. It will continue to update policies in place, and is looking into giving correction officers' body cameras to wear at all times inside the prison.
"As we do not ever want to put our staff or family of those incarcerated through this difficult time again," said Clark. "And the experiences we've had over the last two months."
The DA's office released photographs from the Coroner's office of Riley's body to put to rest rumors he was missing teeth, and his back had been stomped on by corrections officers in the prison. The entire 911 call and those pictures can be viewed here.
