Bennington police: Officer provided emergency care to man who died in custody

Bennington police said a man who died in their custody Thursday was given emergency medical care by an officer after he was seen sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall in a holding cell.

The man, whose name has not been released, was arrested along with two other people at about 3:45 p.m. Thursday during a drug-related search at the Apple Valley Inn in Bennington, police have said.

All three arrestees were placed in separate holding areas at the Bennington Police Department. An hour later, an officer saw one of them sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall, checked him, and immediately called the Bennington Rescue Squad emergency medical service, the Bennington Police Department said in a press release Friday morning.

The officer provided emergency medical care until the rescue squad arrived, Bennington police said. But efforts to revive the man failed, and he was pronounced dead at the police department at 5:19 p.m., after which Bennington police said they asked Vermont State Police to conduct an investigation in accordance with established procedures.

State police, who announced the death on Thursday night, have said their preliminary investigation showed no indication that Bennington police used physical force on the man.

Bennington Police Chief Paul Doucette and the assistant chief, Lt. Camillo Grande, didn’t immediately respond to an interview request on Friday.