Autopsy reveals new details about death of man in Raleigh police custody

ByMichael Perchick WTVD logo
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Autopsy released in man's in-custody death
An autopsy shed new light on the death of Curtis Mangum.

RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) -- The full autopsy just released Tuesday provides new details about the final moments of a 32-year-old man who died in the custody of Raleigh Police.

Curtis Roemon Mangum was one of several men pulled over in a southeast Raleigh traffic stop on January 10.

RPD thought there were drugs in the car, and a few hours later, Mangum was dead. His family has been demanding answers about what happened.

The autopsy showed Mangum had alcohol and cocaine in his system, and a plastic baggie was found in his stomach.

The coroner ruled his death an accident - from acute cocaine and alcohol intoxication.

A video from Mangum's arrest showed him handcuffed, sitting on the side of the road. The autopsy revealed Mangum was pulled out through the car window during his arrest.

Paramedics were called and they found Mangum was conscious, alert and breathing normally.

This surveillance image shows Curtis Mangum being helped to a waiting stretcher for treatment.
Raleigh Police Department

Mangum told the paramedics he was intoxicated and didn't want to go to the hospital. But Raleigh Police told EMS they thought he'd swallowed cocaine.

The report stated that when Mangum got to the hospital, he suffered a seizure and was combative with doctors and nurses before going into cardiac arrest.

He died after 32 minutes of CPR.

The coroner noted that Mangum had a knotted piece of clear plastic in his stomach - and wrote that it appears he swallowed drugs.

The autopsy also noted that Mangum didn't have any pre-existing conditions or other injuries that may have contributed to his death.