Medical Examiner Testifies in Assault Trial of Elmira Police Officer
ELMIRA,N.Y. (WENY) -- The trial is underway for an Elmira Police officer charged with assault in connection to an Elmira man in 2019, who later died in the hospital after he was taken into police custody.
Officer Eduardo Oropallo was indicted in December 2020 on a charge of second degree assault, after an investigation by the New York State Attorney General's Office. According to the indictment, Oropallo allegedly hit Strobridge's face against the floor at St. Joseph's Hospital in Elmira "with intent to cause physical injury."
In Chemung County court Thursday, Onondaga County Medical Examiner Dr. Carolyn Revercomb, who performed Gary Strobridge's autopsy, took the stand. During questioning by the prosecution, Dr. Revercomb testified that Strobridge had many health issues at the time of his death, both internally and externally.
She testified Strobridge had a broken nose, brain swelling, enlarged heart, and internal and external bruises throughout his body. The medical examiner said the swelling and softening of Strobridge's brain occurred during the week he was in the hospital, due to lack of oxygen to the brain. She said Strobridge's death was ruled accidental, and the cause was determined to be "cardiac arrest combined with violent restraint caused by medicine." Dr. Revercomb recalled that Strobridge received a dose of anti-psychotic medicine at St. Joseph's hospital following a physical altercation with police. She also testified that Strobridge was also in poor health prior to his death, from smoking and other factors.
Elmira police arrested Strobridge on August 22, 2019, after responding to a report of a man acting unusual. Officers say they attempted to take Strobridge into custody under the Mental Hygiene Law when Strobridge allegedly hit an officer in the face. Police say they then tased him and he was taken into custody.
While receiving treatment at St. Joseph's hospital, police reported that Strobridge was initially compliant, but then "his behavior suddenly changed" and he allegedly attacked another police officer. During this struggle, police say Strobridge suddenly became "limp and unresponsive."
He was transported to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, where he later died.
During the defense’s questioning, attorneys for Oropallo argued that Strobridge was in a drug-induced state of excited delirium the night he got into an altercation with Elmira police officers; which Dr. Revercomb agreed that being in that state could heighten physical strength and increase pain tolerance, but did not say that Strobridge was in a state of excited delirium.
The defense continued to question exactly how much dextromethorphan was in Strobridge's system. Dr. Revercomb never agreed to an exact amount. Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant, that can have psychotic properties when abused.
Much later, during questioning by the prosecution, Dr. Revercomb furthered her stance by pointing out that when people use a large quantity of drugs, their body temperature increases drastically and she said Strobridge’s body temperature was normal.
Testimony in the trial will continue Friday.
*Information in this article was edited for clarity.
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