The death of a man who was being restrained by police in Haverhill in July has been ruled a homicide, raising the possibility that the officers involved could face criminal charges.
In a statement on Friday, Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office said the state’s medical examiner’s office had concluded that the cause of Francis Gigliotti ‘s death on July 11 was “cardiac dysrhythmia in a person with acute intoxication due to the combined effects of cocaine and ethanol while being restrained prone by police.”
The manner of death was a homicide, the medical examiner concluded.
“In determining whether the actions of the police officers were reasonable and justified under the circumstances in light of the applicable legal standards, we will be carefully reviewing all of the med