A newly-released video shows that a southern California man killed by police on March 31, 2020 repeatedly told officers "I can't breathe," the Associated Press reports. Edward Bronstein was stopped by California Highway Patrol officers and taken into custody. When the officers attempted to take a blood sample, Bronstein struggled and the officers restrained him on the ground. A judge ordered the 18-minute video made public after Bronstein's family filed suit, naming nine officers and one sergeant. The family has repeatedly called for the officers to be charged criminally by the Las Angeles County district attorney. Academics involved in the study of police say that the officers' handling of the situation was unacceptable. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law last September that banned the face-down hold the officers used in this case, which has led to numerous other inadvertent deaths.
Family members say that Bronstein was afraid of needles and that was why he at first refused to comply to having his blood drawn. However, as he was taken down by five officers on a mat, he said "I'll do it! I'll do it! I promise!" The officers replied that it was "too late." Bronstein said that he was unable to breathe no less than eight times and eventually he went unresponsive. His blood was drawn as police seemed to think he was feigning unconsciousness. They did not begin CPR until more than 11 minutes after he had spoken his last words. Bronstein's cause of death was listed as “acute methamphetamine intoxication during restraint by law enforcement.” The death occurred less than two months before the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.