Mesa man's death in police custody ruled homicide, medical examiner says

The ruling comes months after Eric Baker's family called for accountability and filed a $2 million notice of claim against the City of Mesa.

by · ABC15 Arizona

MESA, AZ — The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the death of a Mesa man who died while in police custody earlier this year a homicide.

Eric Baker, 52, died April 4 after an encounter with Mesa Police near University Drive and Dobson Road.

According to Mesa Police, officers initially stopped Baker because he was riding a bicycle without a working headlight. Police said officers later discovered Baker had an outstanding felony warrant and attempted to take him into custody. Officers said Baker resisted arrest.

The case drew public attention after witness video surfaced appearing to show officers striking Baker during the arrest. Police have said a Taser was also used during the encounter. The footage appears to show Baker with a bloody face as he repeatedly pleaded for help.

Neighbors who witnessed the arrest previously told ABC15 that Baker repeatedly told officers he could not breathe while he was being restrained.

Baker was transported to a hospital, where he later died.

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office has now classified Baker's death as a homicide. A homicide ruling means a death resulted from the actions of another person, but it does not, by itself, determine whether a crime was committed.

The ruling comes months after Baker's family publicly called for accountability and a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Baker's two daughters have filed a notice of claim seeking $2 million from the City of Mesa, a legal step that often precedes a lawsuit against a public entity in Arizona.

Benjamin Taylor, an attorney representing Baker's family, told ABC15 on Friday the family was shocked by the medical examiner's ruling.

Mesa Police previously said the incident was under review by the department's Critical Incident Review Board. ABC15 emailed the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office for additional information about the ruling Friday afternoon and has not yet received a response.

Disclaimer: This article was converted from a broadcast script into digital written form with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and edited before publication.

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