The training death of a San Francisco police recruit has been declared an accident, but his family has launched a fundraising campaign to pay for an independent autopsy, citing uncertainty about the cause of his death.
Jon-Marques Psalms, 30, died Aug. 22 after participating in what his family described as a training exercise. That exercise, known as “RedMan,” outfits an opponent in a padded red suit to attempt to disarm and take down a recruit.
San Francisco’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Friday ruled the manner of Psalms’ death an accident, stating the cause as “sequelae of rhabdomyolysis in the setting of a high-intensity training exercise.”
To put that in plain English, sequelae refers to an effect stemming from a previous disease or injury. Rhabdomyolysis is a serious medical condition that “occurs when damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood,” according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
His family is disappointed with what officials have revealed about Psalms’ death, according to his younger brother Malik Psalms, who established a GoFundMe page Thursday seeking donations to pay for an independent autopsy.
“We, the immediate family, have started this fundraiser to help pay for a second autopsy due to the uncertainty around the cause of his death,” Malik Psalms wrote.
The family said the training exercise that preceded Psalms’ death was “highly controversial,” they’ve been left “with more questions than answers.” They criticized the city and SFPD for not providing adequate clarity or support during the investigation.
Because Psalms had not been sworn in as an officer, he was not eligible for life insurance or other departmental benefits that could have helped his family financially, according to the fundraiser.
Bradley Gage, the attorney hired by the family, said that while the autopsy has been completed, the medical examiner has yet to complete the investigation and has not released the body to the family. Gage said the Psalms family would like the body soon so that an independent autopsy can be conducted, he said.
Gage, a Southern California attorney, won more than $1 million in 2006 for the family of rapper Biggie Smalls in a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles.
Gage has won several major cases involving the Los Angeles Police Department and Sheriff’s Department.
Psalms’ death remains under investigation by the SF medical examiner and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health.
The SFPD did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Psalms grew up in Southern California and moved to the Bay Area five years ago to work in tech sales before joining the police academy in May. He was a blue belt in jujitsu and enjoyed playing golf.
The family described Psalms as “one of the most caring and loving people that anyone could ever meet,” adding in the GoFundMe message that “this tragedy has hit his family and friends extremely hard.”