Children of Daniel Prude Call for Justice

Romanucci & Blandin, LLC held a press conference via ZOOM on September 3, where Tashyra Prude, the daughter of Daniel Prude, shared the family’s intense emotion and called for justice over his mistreatment and death at the hands of Rochester, New York police. On March 23, 2020, Daniel was having a mental health episode, in which he was naked and disoriented. Video shows police covered his head, handcuffed him and leaned on him while he was on the ground. Daniel was eventually taken to the hospital where he was pronounced brain dead and later died.

A civil lawsuit filing on this case is imminent.

“Mr. Prude needed help, and when it arrived, it turned out to be a death sentence,” said Antonio M. Romanucci, Founding Partner at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC. “His treatment at the hands of the Rochester, New York police was clearly excessive and downright inhumane. The mask they put on his head was a terrible form of torture for someone who was having an emotional episode. They will be held accountable for their actions. The video evidence in this case clearly shows there is systemic racism, and we need to end the deliberate and repetitive unconstitutional violations that police commit against non-violent, restrained and subdued human beings.”

“What is very clear from the video is that Mr. Prude was compliant and posed no threat to police. He was face down on the ground and officers could and should have de-escalated their approach. Police simply have to do better.” said co-counsel Mark Vajdik of the Law Offices of Mark Vajdik.

“I want the world to know my dad was a great father, he was funny, supportive and loved his kids. He did not deserve to be treated the way he did, and it hurts me to know that the video is the only way most of the world will ever know him,” said Tashyra Prude, Daniel Prude’s daughter.