Nearly a year after the death of Daniel Prude in Rochester, New York, a grand jury decided no charges will be filed against the officers involved in the 41-year-old’s death. New York Attorney General Letitia James released a statement on the decision on Tuesday (Feb. 23).

James, who is the first Black woman Attorney General of New York, said in a press release, “Daniel Prude was in the throes of a mental health crisis and what he needed was compassion, care, and help from trained professionals. Tragically, he received none of those things.”

James continued, “We concluded that there was sufficient evidence surrounding Mr. Prude’s death to warrant presenting the case to a grand jury, and we presented the most comprehensive case possible. While I know that the Prude family, the Rochester community, and communities across the country will rightfully be devastated and disappointed, we have to respect this decision. The current laws on deadly force have created a system that utterly and abjectly failed Mr. Prude and so many others before him.”

She also added, “Serious reform is needed, not only at the Rochester Police Department, but to our criminal justice system as a whole. I will be pursuing a multifaceted approach to address the very issues that have prevented us from holding officers accountable when they improperly use deadly force. I am committed to effecting the change that is so desperately needed, and I will be unshakeable in my efforts to see it through.”

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James made several recommendations for the Rochester Police Department, which include training to recognize the symptoms of excited delirium syndrome and to respond to it as a serious medical emergency. In addition, she suggested exploring the use of spit sock alternatives and she advisted the City of Rochester to adopt a body worn camera release policy regarding critical incidents.

Daniel Prude was apprehended by police on March 23, 2020. He had been visiting Rochester from Chicago when he allegedly had a mental episode and ran out of his brother’s home. Prude was reportedly running through the streets when police picked him up. He was placed in a spit hood and restrained by an officer who put his knee on Prude’s back, causing him to suffocate, according to records released by activists and his family.

Prude was removed from life support and died March 30. A medical examiner ruled Prude’s death a homicide from complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.