Little Rock police said Thursday that two officers have been cleared of wrongdoing after a man died in their custody in August.
An autopsy at the state Crime Lab showed that Marcus Sexton, 22, died of methamphetamine intoxication after police detained him Aug. 4, according to the department. Officers Eric Hollister and Stephen Lichti confronted Sexton that evening at 71 Red Gate Drive after responding to reports that a man was breaking into homes in the area.
The officers reportedly pinned Sexton on the ground, punched him and handcuffed him after Sexton pulled away from officers and refused to lie down.
Police said Sexton had trouble breathing and the officers performed CPR, but Sexton later died.
The officers reported that Sexton, who was wearing only shorts, appeared that night to be high on "sherm," the street name for a combination of PCP and marijuana.
Little Rock police investigated Sexton's death. The department said Thursday that the Pulaski County prosecutor's office had reviewed the case and cleared the men of any wrongdoing.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.