Detroit Mall Guards to Stand Trial Over Man’s Death After 10 Years

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A long-awaited trial is set to commence this week for four security guards charged in the death of a man following a confrontation at a suburban Detroit shopping mall over a decade ago.

McKenzie Cochran, who was 25 years old at the time, was unarmed and reportedly told the guards, “I can’t breathe,” while being held face down on the floor after a dispute at a jewelry store within Northland Center in 2014. Witness accounts depict a turbulent scene that escalated the altercation significantly.

Initially, the Oakland County prosecutor opted not to file charges after consulting with the U.S. Justice Department. However, in 2021, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel intervened, filing involuntary manslaughter charges against the four security guards involved in the incident.

The case took on renewed significance amid heightened awareness and protests surrounding the treatment of Black individuals by law enforcement, particularly in the wake of George Floyd’s death in 2020. While the racial dynamics of the Cochran case have been noted, prosecutors have not claimed race was a factor in his death.

As jury selection begins, defense attorney Blake Wright has expressed concerns about the political undertones influencing the revival of the case. He contended that the prosecution represents a politicization of the justice system and argued that the security guards acted reasonably in a volatile situation.

“It’s a politicization of the criminal justice system,” Wright stated. “This clearly stems from what happened with George Floyd and police misconduct across the nation. This case is just totally different from any of those. These are security guards just trying to subdue a guy who had mental health problems.”

On the contrary, attorney Gerald Thurswell, who represented Cochran’s family in a past lawsuit, emphasizes the gravity of the footage that captured the struggle. He asserted that it is erroneous to justify a death based on someone acting unusually. “You don’t kill somebody because they’re acting weird,” Thurswell remarked.

State prosecutors allege that the guards employed excessive force by restraining Cochran in a prone position for an extended period, allegedly up to 15 minutes. An autopsy later determined that Cochran had died from asphyxiation, with pre-existing health conditions contributing to the tragedy.

Defense attorneys argue that their clients acted in self-defense amidst a chaotic confrontation. According to court documents, a jewelry store owner had summoned security, indicating that Cochran was “acting crazy” and had made threats. When ordered to leave by the guards, Cochran allegedly rushed towards them, leading to a confrontation that involved pepper spray and multiple guards attempting to subdue him.

“His speech went from ‘get off of me’ to ‘I can’t breathe,’” noted witness Hoy Monk, highlighting the dramatic shift in the situation.

When Southfield police arrived, they found Cochran motionless with his hands handcuffed behind his back, raising serious concerns about his condition during the struggle.

Defense attorney Doraid Elder emphasized that the guards made snap decisions during an unpredictable and threatening confrontation. Elder argued that under such circumstances, there was no time for the guards to accurately assess the situation.

One key figure, senior guard Gary Chaffin, is no longer part of the case as he passed away in 2017. Notably, the Northland Center was demolished in 2021 as part of redevelopment plans, removing the physical site of this tragic event.

A former medical examiner, Dr. Carl Schmidt, is anticipated to testify for the prosecution. He reviewed the autopsy records and stated that Cochran’s death should be classified as a homicide. He noted that the restraints placed on Cochran drastically impacted his ability to breathe, likely contributing to his death.

In 2014, the then-county prosecutor Jessica Cooper acknowledged mistakes made by the guards but concluded that any negligence did not meet the threshold for criminal charges. The attorney general’s office is now requesting that previous findings from Cooper’s office not be disclosed during the trial, aiming to keep the focus on the current charges.

“That belief is within a prosecutor’s discretion but is clearly not shared by the attorney general,” remarked Assistant Attorney General LaDonna Logan, underscoring the contrasting views on the case that have emerged over the years.

Source: AP