Stepfather reaches out to public officials about Alexander Rios' death

MANSFIELD - Alexander Rios' stepfather, Don Mould, has reached out to about two dozen public officials and congressional leaders in hopes someone can help him get answers surrounding his son's death.

It's been a year and more than 212 days since Rios died after being forcefully subdued by correctional officers in an incident captured on video at the Richland County Jail.

The jail incident occurred on Sept. 19, 2019, and Rios died eight days later at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital when he was taken off of a ventilator.

The Wakeman stepfather sent the packet via email to the News Journal on April 29, to Lorain County commissioners, Medina County commissioners and Richland County commissioners, to 11 people in the 12th Congressional District; to Jim Jordan in the 4th Congressional District; to The Plain Dealer and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

More: 'He's turning blue.' Family demands answers in Richland jail death after video surfaces

The packet contains well-written letters Mould drafted and those responses he has received from involved parties, including public records he requested from the Ohio Bureau of Identification and Investigation and the Richland County Sheriff's Office's attorneys. It contains a News Journal's story and the link to the video of the jail incident.

Prosecutor says case can't be rushed; BCI, FBI investigating

S. Forrest Thompson, the Medina County special prosecutor assigned to the case, said earlier he told the man's stepfather he could not give him updates because it would be "inappropriate," and stressed he would not rush the case.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are conducting separate investigations.

Last week, Thompson, said in an email to the News Journal, "I am unable to comment on the status of this matter at the present time" when asked about the investigation.

Rios, 28, was arrested on Sept. 18, 2019, at the Wakeman home of his parents, Don and Toni Mould, after a domestic incident involving an ex-girlfriend, and taken to the Mansfield jail on an outstanding warrant, records show.

The next day, the Richland County Sheriff's Office reported it was investigating an incident involving an inmate who had tried to commit suicide.

The Sheriff's Office said the Hispanic father of two boys, who was not identified at the time, had been standing on a half wall in a holding cell, shouting to jail staff through a door window, and officers said they believed he was going to try to take his own life.

Sheriff's Office video obtained earlier by the News Journal shows the entire incident, starting with correctional officers trying to enter Rios' cell to place him in a restraint chair.

More: Alexander Rios: Prosecutor seeking independent review of inmate's autopsy

But when they opened the door, Rios bolted out, racing past the deputies who pursued him and tackled him in a nearby hallway.

Eight days later he would be dead, with the coroner ruling he died of "excited delirium" and noting he tested positive for amphetamines.

Mould included in the packet a Jan. 4 letter to Mould from Gary D. Bishop, Richland County prosecutor, whose office is not handling the investigation.

"I sought the appointment of Mr. Thompson precisely because has has no affiliation with the Richland County Sheriff of the Richland County Jail and because I know him to be a person of honesty and integrity," Bishop said in the letter to Mould. "Mr. Thompson has a strong legal mind and a true moral compass. I trust his judgement in this matter implicitly."

He pointed out while a yearlong investigation is no doubt frustrating for Mould and his family, it is nevertheless, not uncommon in such cases.

Many questions, no answers

Mould respectfully included his "thoughts from April 23, 2021," including bulleted statements such as:

"Are all involved parties from the jail still employed at the jail?" and "Have any of the six CO's (corrections officers) in the released information indicated if: Put on leave? Discipline noted in personnel file? Any other disciplinary action for the incident?"

J.C. Ratliff, who represents Rios' stepfather and mother, sent a copy of a letter he sent to Brown.

"The video footage of the ruthless force and violence of the correctional officers is shocking and damning. For several minutes, five large men - including at least one supervisor - pile on top of Alex while he is restrained in a prone position, even after he ceases offering anything that could arguably be considered resistance to these correctional officers," Ratliff wrote the senator.

"The officers applied direct and excessive force to Alex's upper body, long after they had him completely under their control," Ratliff said in the letter. "They tased him several times with two different tasers, and punched and struck him, including strikes to his head. A female officer stood by, not only failing to intervene, but also yelling for officers to tase Alex, even as Alex is calling out that he is not fighting. Alex struggles to breathe... until he stops."

'In the interest of justice and fairness'

Ratliff told Brown in the letter it's been 19 months... "and the investigation into the conduct of the correctional officers of the Richland County Jail remains pending. As far as we know, the correctional officers who killed Alex have not been disciplined, fired, retrained or charge."

Ratliff concluded his letter to Brown asking "in the interest of justice and fairness" that the death of Rios be investigated by a federal agency such as the Department of Justice.

Mould thanked in advance everyone for their time and consideration on the matter.

"If you watch the video in the link that I have provided and feel that we are overreacting, please disregard this package. Alex would have been 30 years old on May 8, 2021."

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @Whitmir

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Stepfather of Alexander Rios reaches out to public officials