DA will not prosecute officer in Chasse case

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Multnomah County district attorney's office will not prosecute a Portland Police officer involved in the death of James Chasse, a schizophrenic who died from injuries sustained during an arrest.

A grand jury found no criminal wrongdoing after the September 2006 death, but District Attorney Michael Schrunk wanted to determine if Officer Christopher Humphreys lied during that investigation. New evidence of statements Humphreys made on the night of the incident appeared to contradict what he told investigators.

Chasse, 42, was arrested following a foot chase in the Pearl District. Officers said they thought he had urinated outside and was on drugs.

In an interview with investigators a few days after the incident, Humphreys said he shoved Chasse down and then fell onto the sidewalk, past Chasse.

But the video of officers talking at the jail after they brought Chasse in captures Humphreys telling a sheriff's deputy that "we tackled him." As Humphreys is heard telling jail staff that the officers tackled Chasse, his partner is seen imitating a bear hug.

The 13-minute video ends with police and jail sheriff's deputies hauling Chasse out of jail. Chasse, who can be heard moaning, died while police were driving him to a hospital. According to autopsy results, Chasse suffered 16 broken ribs, including some that punctured a lung and caused massive internal bleeding.

In a memo obtained by The Oregonian on Wednesday, Christine Mascal, a deputy district attorney, wrote: "After careful review of Humphreys' use of the word 'tackle' and explanation of how he and James Chasse landed on the ground, we cannot conclude that such use of the word or added description was intended to deceive or mislead the grand jury or the investigators."

Investigators did not hear the Humphreys' comment in 2006 because the quality of the audio was poor.

The video was later enhanced by professionals to make the dialogue intelligible. It was released in October by Tom Steenson, the Chasse family attorney who has filed a federal lawsuit on their behalf. He did not comment Wednesday.

Police Chief Rosie Sizer said in a statement that the case will be now be assigned to the bureau's internal affairs division.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)