Indiana sheriff disputes family's account of man's death during medical emergency, citing body-cam footage

JASPER COUNTY, Ill. - An Indiana sheriff's office released new details this week regarding a medical emergency that resulted in a man's death in Jasper County earlier this month. 

On Sept. 8, deputies with the Jasper County Sheriff's Office responded to the home of 26-year-old Rhyker Earl, in Demotte, Indiana, to assist EMTs who responded to a medical emergency. 

When deputies arrived, they found that Earl was demonstrating mental difficulties and resistance to the medical personnel at the scene.

At that time, deputies said they placed Earl in handcuffs for his safety and for the safety of the medical providers. Earl was allegedly in an excited state and would not respond to pleas from deputies or his family to remain calm.

Earl ultimately became unresponsive and was taken to an area hospital, where he died.

Rhyker Earl | Provided by family and attorneys

The family's response

Following his death, Earl's family retained national civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Indiana attorney Stephen Wagner.

On Monday, the attorneys released a statement, saying that Earl had a severe seizure at his home and his grandmother called 911 for emergency assistance. 

Earl's family claimed that he was confused and agitated as he tried to recover from the seizure. When Earl was allegedly putting on shorts to go to the hospital, his family said he lost his balance and fell into a police officer. In the attorney's statement, they allege that the officers became aggressive and yelled, "You don't treat law enforcement that way."

While Earl was handcuffed, the attorneys claimed that officers remained on top of him for 15 minutes with his face in a pillow while EMTs administered three separate doses of sedatives. 

Attorneys also allege that Earl begged for his life and said he couldn't breathe, while pleas from his aunt and grandmother were ignored.

Crump and Wagner also allege that some of the EMTs on the scene responded earlier in the day to a different location, where Earl had another seizure. 

Jasper County Sheriff's Office response 

On Thursday, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office responded to the allegations from Earl's family and released additional information on the incident, claiming the press release from the family's attorneys was inaccurate.

The sheriff's office said it reviewed body-worn cameras of multiple deputies at the scene that night, which allegedly showed Earl forcefully banging his head on the floor. At that time, deputies reportedly asked the family for a pillow and placed it under Earl's head to prevent him from injuring himself.

The sheriff's office said Earl's head was lying on the pillow and his breathing was not restricted.

The body-worn video also allegedly showed deputies restraining Earl by his legs, arms and shoulders and holding him in a way that would not restrict his breathing.

The sheriff's office said Earl was vocalizing during the entire incident and that he was placed on his side in what is known as the "recovery position."

Additionally, the sheriff's office said video shows multiple family members pleading with Earl to remain calm and trying to tell him that the medical personnel and deputies were there to help him. 

The sheriff's office said it plans to release the body-cam videos once the Indiana State Police finish the investigation into Earl's death.