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Family accuses Brentwood police of mishandling death; DA pursues criminal inquiry
Summary
Multiple family members and community speakers told the council that an elderly woman's death followed use of force by officers; speakers said a second autopsy found homicide and the district attorney launched a criminal investigation; they urged council action and criticized the city for silence.
Brentwood — Several family members and advocates used the May 12 council meeting to demand accountability after an elderly Brentwood resident died following an encounter with police. Speakers said a preliminary coroner’s ruling had been followed by a second autopsy that listed the cause of death as a homicide and that the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office is pursuing a criminal probe.
“My mother was brutalized in the back of a police car,” said a family member during public comment, describing the death as occurring after officers detained the woman on a minor matter. The family accused specific officers by name in the public record and said they had to push for a coroner’s inquest after months of silence from city officials.
Several speakers criticized the city and police leadership for failing to respond promptly. A retired federal investigator who addressed the council said he had warned the body months earlier about risky conduct by an officer now named in the investigation. The family said the DA’s office became involved only after it pressed for an inquest and that the city posted statements only after the DA intervened.
City leaders did not make new policy commitments during the comment period, but the council and staff heard repeated calls for transparency, timely responses to family requests, and assurances that footage and related evidence would be handled appropriately.
Mayor Meyer acknowledged the gravity of the remarks and the pain expressed by family members; the city’s formal investigatory roles remain with internal reviews, the district attorney’s criminal probe and an upcoming coroner’s inquest scheduled for July 15, according to speakers in the meeting. Council members said they would take the complaints under advisement and that the city would follow the DA’s process.
The council meeting record shows multiple residents delivering similar accounts and asserting that the family’s repeated requests for action had gone unanswered until the DA’s involvement.
Next steps: The family said a coroner’s inquest is scheduled for July 15; the DA’s criminal investigation is ongoing. The council has not taken formal action at this meeting beyond receiving public comment.
