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The Kansas Bureau of Investigation announced Friday that an
autopsy report listed his manner of death as homicide and his
cause of death as complications from “mechanical asphyxia," a
condition where breathing is obstructed. The report didn't
elaborate, but causes of obstructed breathing include physical
force, an object or even body position, according to the
Cleveland Clinic.
Also contributing to Adair's death was cardiovascular disease
and cirrhosis from chronic alcoholism, the autopsy found.
The KBI said it has turned over the findings of its
investigation to the Wyandotte County prosecutor’s office. A
spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office didn’t immediately
respond to an email from The Associated Press on Sunday seeking
comment.
On the night Adair died, he received medical care in the
detention center's infirmary for a preexisting leg wound. The
KBI said in an earlier news release that as staff tried to
return him to his cell, he started yelling and physically
resisting, so sheriff’s deputies responded and handcuffed him.
Once in his cell, deputies placed him on his lower bunk. But the
release said he continued to resist as they attempted to remove
the handcuffs. The report said they ultimately “gained control"
before removing the cuffs and leaving his cell.
Just a few minutes later, medical staff was called to evaluate
Adair and found that he was unresponsive. Emergency crews
responded and attempted to resuscitate him, but he was
pronounced dead a short time later.
The KBI said at the time that it didn't see any other signs of
obvious injury.
What happens next is unclear, although no charges were filed
after a similar autopsy finding in the 2021 death of Cedric
Lofton, a 17-year-old who became unresponsive while restrained
at a Wichita juvenile detention center. In that case, Sedgwick
County District Attorney Marc Bennett said the state’s
“stand-your-ground” law prevented him from bringing any charges
because staff members were protecting themselves.
Relatives of Adair didn't immediately respond to Facebook
messages from the AP seeking comment.
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