Brain-dead Port Angeles man disconnected from life support; investigation of arrest incident to be completed next month

PORT ANGELES — Friends and family grieved the loss of a 40-year-old Port Angeles man Thursday while the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office continued its investigation into what part, if any, Port Angeles Police Department actions played in his death.

Jerry Norris, who was declared brain-dead at Olympic Medical Center on Wednesday, was disconnected from life support Thursday night, said Norris’ uncle, Rick Fields of Reno, Nev., who was still in shock over the circumstances of his death.

Port Angeles Police Department officers were subduing Norris at an apartment in the 1000 block of West 18th Street shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday when he suffered cardiac arrest and stopped breathing.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Police were answering a 9-1-1 call that described Norris as “out of control” at the apartment of a man and a woman he had allegedly assaulted, police said.

Before the incident, Norris hadn’t felt well and hadn’t slept in six days, said his uncle, who added that his nephew “wasn’t a drinker, wasn’t a drugger.”

On Thursday, Fields said that doctors “were talking about a possible meningitis.

“We knew it had to be something medical because that wasn’t Jerry at all,” Fields said.

Said longtime friend Jon Beaver of Port Angeles in an e-mail: “His behavior was so out of character that those of us closest to him are still reeling in a state of disbelief and shock.”

Investigation

Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict said Thursday that the investigation will be completed by the end of February.

“The part we are really looking into is to ensure that there was nothing done improperly by the police officers,” Benedict said.

Police Chief Terry Gallagher said Wednesday that “all indications are that the police performed professionally within their training and within policy.”

Deputy Chief Brian Smith also said Wednesday there is “no evidence” police caused Norris’ cardiac arrest.

Neither Gallagher nor Benedict would identify the officers involved in the incident, saying that information was part of an active investigation.

Norris — who stood 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed about 300 pounds — lived on property he shared with his mother, Fields said.

“He just kept telling his mom, ‘I can’t sleep, I can’t sleep,'” Fields said, adding that the toxicology results he had received as of Thursday “did not reflect any drugs.”

Scuffle at apartment

After arriving at the apartment Saturday, three officers scuffled with Norris, wrestling him to the floor and restraining him, police said.

Norris went into cardiac arrest while he was handcuffed, lying prone on his stomach and wearing a hooded “spit shield,” they said.

Norris stopped breathing, lost his pulse and was resuscitated, police said. Port Angeles Fire Department personnel treated him at the scene.

Doctors said Norris’ brain had swelled and was deprived of oxygen for 20 to 30 minutes, Fields said.

Norris had always intended that his organs be donated, said Beaver and Fields, who added that medical personnel are conducting tests to see what organs are viable.

“He was truly a gentle giant,” Fields said. “He was always just so kind.

“He befriended a lot of people,” he added. “We wished he could have lasted longer, but what he did while he was here, I was sure proud.”

________

Senior staff writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladaily news.com.

Managing Editor/News Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3531 or leah.leach@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Heath Wade, 5, leads the goat parade to open the 37th annual Port Townsend Farmers Market on Saturday in the uptown neighborhood. Behind are goat wranglers Lindsey Kotzebue and Amber Langley of Port Townsend. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Market opens

Heath Wade, 5, leads the goat parade to open the 37th annual… Continue reading

Kelly Kidwell, a local business owner and property developer, is purchasing Rite Bros. with the intention of building a long-term sustainable business that will expand aviation access in the area. Citizen Air, based at William R. Fairchild International Airport, will offer charter flights and fractional aircraft ownership. The possibility of scheduled flights could be in the distant future. Kidwell is shown with his Poodle-Bernese mountain dog, Porter. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Citizen Air aims to expand access

New Rite Bros. owner planning for growth

Health officer: Disease numbers low, but cuts affecting programs

Additional measles case located in Washington state

Customers check out at The Pine and Eight, a local goods-only grocery store co-owned by SisterLand Farms and Northwest Beach Work. This store, which recently opened at 511 W. Eighth St. in Port Angeles, is an experiment testing out the viability of a farmer- and artisan-owned store selling Washington-only products. (Eli Smith)
Farmer-focused grocery store opens in Port Angeles

Business prioritizing local products, relationships

Garage destroyed in Lower Elwha structure fire

A weekend structure fire resulted in the total loss… Continue reading

Ground-breaking ceremony for new school set Saturday

The Port Angeles School District will break ground for… Continue reading

A portion of the crowd at the Hands Off rally, which started at the intersection of Laurel and First Street. An estimated 800 to 1,000 people attended in Port Angeles. (Dave Logan/For Peninsula Daily News)
Hands Off! protests on Peninsula

A portion of the crowd at the Hands Off rally, which started… Continue reading

Kathy Cruz/Olympic Peninsula News Group
Susan Fisch, standing, chair of the Clallam County Charter Review Commission, addresses a crowd of residents who packed the meeting room at KSQM FM (91.5) last month for the first of several town hall events. Speakers were allowed up to three minutes to share their views about issues related to the charter that they consider most important.
Charter meeting draws crowd

Open house set tonight in Joyce

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft… Continue reading

Margo Karler of Port Townsend looks up at the plaster covers protecting a tusk that was found by hikers on the beach near the Point Wilson lighthouse in March. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Fossil found in sandstone bluff at Fort Worden

State Parks, Burke museum developing plan for preservation