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3 Arrested, Charged In Deaf Man's Death - Local/Florida News Story - WJXT Jacksonville
Three men were recently charged in connection with the 2006 death of a 22-year-old deaf man outside of a Yulee bowling alley.
Nassau County investigators have determined the death of Bruce Doss was the result of traumatic asphyxia with restrained stress as a contributory condition after being held down.
Investigators said Doss got into a confrontation inside the bar, and was asked to leave after making an inappropriate comment to a woman.
According to detectives, 35-year-old Michael Gammons, 25-year-old Peter Turlington, and 24-year-old Ralph Turlington followed Doss outside and one got into a fight with him before all three held him down for 10 to 20 minutes.
Deputies said the three men said they feared for Doss' safety because he was deaf, intoxicated and headed for a road. The men held Doss down until officers arrived at the scene.
"He was face down on the ground, and his face was pushed to where he could not breathe. They were on top of him, restraining him," said Nassau County Sheriff Tommy Seagraves.
Officers said when they arrived, Doss was unresponsive. He was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"You've got three individuals there that could have restrained him if they just stood up and held him. Could they have done that? There were other people there, witnesses there -- Did he really, technically need to be restrained?" Seagraves said.
Despite the violence involved in Doss's death, police said it was unintentional.
"When they restrained him to the ground, we did never determine that they said they were going to kill him. But, because of their actions of restraining him to the ground caused his death, so they are still responsible for the death itself," Seagraves said.
Detectives said they have looked into whether the incident was race related and found that one of the suspects made a racist comment to the victim but that was not a motive for the crime.
All three men are charged with manslaughter and are each being held on $250,000, and each could face as many as 15 years in prison.
Three men were recently charged in connection with the 2006 death of a 22-year-old deaf man outside of a Yulee bowling alley.
Nassau County investigators have determined the death of Bruce Doss was the result of traumatic asphyxia with restrained stress as a contributory condition after being held down.
Investigators said Doss got into a confrontation inside the bar, and was asked to leave after making an inappropriate comment to a woman.
According to detectives, 35-year-old Michael Gammons, 25-year-old Peter Turlington, and 24-year-old Ralph Turlington followed Doss outside and one got into a fight with him before all three held him down for 10 to 20 minutes.
Deputies said the three men said they feared for Doss' safety because he was deaf, intoxicated and headed for a road. The men held Doss down until officers arrived at the scene.
"He was face down on the ground, and his face was pushed to where he could not breathe. They were on top of him, restraining him," said Nassau County Sheriff Tommy Seagraves.
Officers said when they arrived, Doss was unresponsive. He was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"You've got three individuals there that could have restrained him if they just stood up and held him. Could they have done that? There were other people there, witnesses there -- Did he really, technically need to be restrained?" Seagraves said.
Despite the violence involved in Doss's death, police said it was unintentional.
"When they restrained him to the ground, we did never determine that they said they were going to kill him. But, because of their actions of restraining him to the ground caused his death, so they are still responsible for the death itself," Seagraves said.
Detectives said they have looked into whether the incident was race related and found that one of the suspects made a racist comment to the victim but that was not a motive for the crime.
All three men are charged with manslaughter and are each being held on $250,000, and each could face as many as 15 years in prison.