A lawyer for the family of Robert Fuller, the Black man found hanging from a tree in Palmdale, Calif. last month, said Friday that an independent investigation found no evidence of foul play in the 24 year old’s death, backing the ruling that Fuller’s death was a suicide.
“I have no information to suggest foul play. I have no information to suggest that anything was racially motivated,” attorney Jamon Hicks said during a news conference in Los Angeles.
Hicks told reporters his firm hired a private investigator, an independent pathologist, and had a private autopsy performed by Dr. Marvin Pietruszka to determine if there was any wrongdoing.
“During his examination, Dr. Pietruszka made the following observations — there were no areas of contusions, bruising or hemorrhaging significant enough to determine foul play,” Hicks stated.
A passerby found Fuller’s body hanging from a tree near Palmdale City Hall on the morning of June 10.
Related Story: Brother of California Man Found Hanged Dies in Deputy-Involved Shooting
Hicks confirmed a sheriff’s department report saying Fuller went to Arizona in May to live with his sister, but returned to California weeks later.
Hicks said the family “never got the impression that Robert was in a state that would cause him to want to harm himself.” Although the attorney did confirm there were signs of mental illness.
“Through our investigation, we did learn that Robert was what’s called ‘a cutter’ and that he was likely a person that would cut himself to relieve pain,” Hicks said, adding that they were unable to determine if Fuller ever tried to cut himself in order to take his life.
“As I explained to the family last night, my hope is that we all can learn something from this experience,” Hicks said. “Let’s use this experience to bring further attention to the devastating impact mental illness can have on someone.”
Related Story: Cause of Death Revealed for ‘This Is Us’ Writer Jas Waters
His comments came one day after the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced that it had “deemed this case to be a suicide.”
On Thursday, the sheriff’s department held a news conference and said it reached that conclusion through physical evidence and Fuller’s history of mental illness.
In January 2017, Fuller was diagnosed by a hospital in Arizona with having hallucinations, the sheriff’s department said. Medical records showed he “stated that he wanted to put a gun to his head,” said sheriff’s Cmdr. Chris Marks.
Fuller later admitted himself to a California hospital in February 2019, for “reportedly hearing voices telling himself to kill himself,” Marks stated.
The sheriff’s department said there was also physical evidence to support their determination that Fuller took his life, including records showing he purchased the rope used in the hanging.
“Detectives identified a purchase from a local Dollar Tree store made on May 14, 2020 in which a red rope consistent with the one used in the hanging was purchased with an EBT card registered to Mr. Fuller,” said Marks. “There were no signs of a struggle, no defensive wounds observed and no other signs of trauma visible to Mr. Fuller.”
Shame every who was part of this false narrative of him being lynched. There was suicide note in his pocket.
Bs they didn’t know of his prior mental illness yes they knew but they wanted to continue with the false narrative he was lynched by racist group. The BLM just wants to bing more hate and discord among our community in Palmdale.
There was no cover up just a suicide here a sad one.
You want to make a real change. Take personal responsibility for your own actions. Stop blaming everyone else for your misdeeds or problems.