(Part 2) One of the Most DISTURBING Acts in Law Enforcement was Caught on Camera!

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Part 2: The Legal Fight and Community Outcry

The pain of Julian Coleman’s family deepened as the days passed after his tragic death. The public outcry in Rochester and beyond was growing louder, with the community rallying for justice and demanding accountability for what had transpired on that cold November night. The situation had exposed a troubling breakdown in the system—both medical and law enforcement. The refusal of EMS workers to provide Julian with the urgent care he needed, followed by the police officers’ lack of action after he collapsed, left a deep scar on the city. It wasn’t just a failure to respond—it was a failure to act as human beings when someone’s life was at stake.

Julian’s family wasn’t about to let his death fade into the background. They had already lost him, but they weren’t going to let this injustice go unanswered. Julian’s brother, who had been devastated by the loss of his sibling, knew that they had to speak up. This couldn’t happen again, he thought. He couldn’t bear the thought of another family losing a loved one because of negligence and indifference.

A Call to Action

As part of their grieving process, Julian’s family decided to take their fight to the streets, to the courtrooms, and to the media. They didn’t want Julian’s story to be forgotten. The family organized a vigil to honor Julian’s memory, which would also serve as a platform to demand justice. The vigil, which took place on what would have been Julian’s 50th birthday, was a turning point for many in the Rochester community. It was a call for change, a call for the city to examine how its emergency services were functioning, especially when it came to mental health crises.

Julian’s brother, speaking at the vigil, said, “We’re here to keep his name alive. What happened to my brother can’t happen to anyone else. This city needs to understand that this negligence is unacceptable. We need accountability for our loved ones, and we need it now.”

The vigil was a solemn yet powerful event, and it marked the beginning of the public’s demand for action. The event wasn’t just about remembering Julian—it was about demanding that people in positions of power be held accountable for their actions, or lack thereof.

The Lawsuit: A Fight for Justice

Following the vigil, Julian’s family took another step forward. They decided to file a wrongful death lawsuit against American Medical Response (AMR), the Rochester Police Department (RPD), and the individual officers involved in the incident. The lawsuit was a statement of their determination to get justice for Julian, and it quickly gained attention. The estate of Julian Coleman, in their legal filing, accused AMR of violating his civil rights by failing to provide medical care, gross negligence, and wrongful death. They also accused the RPD officers of negligent hiring and retention.

The lawsuit claimed that the officers and EMS workers were responsible for Julian’s death because they ignored his medical emergency and refused to assist him when he collapsed on the sidewalk. The complaint also stated that Julian’s Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated when he was denied medical treatment and left to die.

The family was seeking damages for Julian’s suffering and for the emotional pain that his death caused them. The suit also demanded reforms to ensure that such an incident could never happen again.

The City’s Response: Deflection and Silence

The City of Rochester, along with AMR, initially tried to deflect blame. Mayor Malik Evans, who had only learned about the incident after the footage was made public, was left to publicly express his shock and frustration. He called for an internal investigation into the events, but he stopped short of making any concrete promises. While the mayor expressed his outrage over Julian’s death, many felt that the city’s response wasn’t enough.

The RPD, however, was in full defense mode. The police union, led by Sergeant James Rudkowski, issued a statement defending the officers involved in the incident. Rudkowski argued that the officers were justified in their actions. He said that Julian’s behavior was erratic, and the officers were well within their right to remove him from the ambulance. According to Rudkowski, Julian had refused to comply with their orders and had become increasingly violent, making it necessary for the officers to intervene.

But the public wasn’t buying it. Many people, both within and outside of Rochester, found the police union’s defense to be lacking empathy and disconnected from the reality of the situation. The community didn’t believe that any of Julian’s actions warranted the treatment he received, especially considering the fact that he was in the middle of a medical emergency.

The Call for Police and EMS Reform

The demand for justice wasn’t just about the specific actions of the officers involved in Julian’s death—it was also about the systemic issues within the city’s emergency services. The lack of training for EMS workers on how to deal with mental health crises and the officers’ failure to de-escalate the situation were glaring issues.

The family, with the support of their community, pushed for substantial reforms. They called for mandatory training for EMS workers and police officers on how to handle mental health emergencies. They also demanded that mental health crisis response teams be fully funded and that civilian oversight of both police and EMS services be strengthened.

Their demands were clear: They wanted accountability, transparency, and changes to the way Rochester handles mental health crises.

The Investigation: A City Divided

The lawsuits and public pressure led to an ongoing investigation by the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems, along with the City of Rochester’s internal investigation into the RPD’s role in the incident.

As the investigation unfolded, more troubling facts came to light. It was revealed that the EMS workers on scene, including the supervisor, had failed to act in a timely manner when Julian collapsed. They had ignored his obvious distress and allowed him to lie on the sidewalk for several minutes before any medical care was provided.

At the same time, the RPD officers had failed to provide any meaningful intervention to help Julian. Instead of offering assistance or trying to help him, they had merely stood by, watching him struggle for breath.

The mayor and city council members expressed their concern over the incident, with a unanimous statement calling for more transparency and a full investigation into the RPD’s actions. They also began to consider changes to the city’s policies, including the potential reactivation of the civilian police review board and further assessments of the RPD’s procedures.

The Ongoing Fight for Justice

As Julian’s lawsuit continued to make its way through the courts, the family remained steadfast in their pursuit of justice. They knew that this wasn’t just about the money—it was about ensuring that no other family would have to go through the same heartbreak.

Julian’s brother, speaking with the press, said, “This was a failure of the system. Julian didn’t deserve to die this way. He was begging for help—he wasn’t a criminal. He was just a man in crisis, and no one cared enough to help him. That needs to change.”

Julian’s death had sparked a movement in Rochester—a demand for justice and reforms to ensure that the city’s response to mental health crises would be humane and effective.

A Symbol of Change

The community continued to rally behind Julian’s family, organizing more vigils, protests, and campaigns to raise awareness about the failures of both the police and the EMS. Julian’s story became a symbol of the need for reform in how the city handles mental health crises—and how important it is to ensure that everyone, regardless of race, class, or background, is treated with dignity and respect.

Part 3: The Fight for Accountability and Reform

The fallout from Julian Coleman’s death was far from over. The legal battle continued, and with each passing day, more information was revealed that pointed to serious failures in the way both the Rochester Police Department (RPD) and American Medical Response (AMR) had handled the situation. But as the family fought for justice, it became clear that this case wasn’t just about one man’s life—it was about making sure something like this never happened again, not just in Rochester but across the country.

The Lawsuit Moves Forward

Julian’s family, led by his brother, took their case to the courts with a lawsuit that would challenge the systemic failures that led to his tragic death. The lawsuit wasn’t just about compensation; it was about accountability and reform. The estate of Julian Coleman sued both AMR and the Rochester Police Department, alleging gross negligence and violations of Julian’s Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.

Julian’s family claimed that AMR workers, who had been dispatched to help Julian during his medical emergency, had acted unprofessionally and negligently. They had refused to treat Julian despite his obvious distress, and when he had collapsed onto the sidewalk, they failed to offer any immediate medical assistance. Instead, they called the police to deal with the situation, which only escalated the already dangerous situation. The RPD officers involved were accused of failing to intervene and allowing Julian to suffer when they should have been offering assistance.

The lawsuit highlighted the systemic failures that had led to Julian’s death, including a lack of training for both EMS workers and police officers on how to handle individuals in mental health crises. The family sought justice not only for the pain and suffering Julian had endured but also for the emotional distress they experienced as a result of the senseless loss of their loved one.

The Community Rallies for Reform

As Julian’s family fought for justice in the courtroom, the community in Rochester continued to rally behind them. The family wasn’t alone in their fight—many in the community were demanding answers, and they were determined to see change. The case had sparked a wider conversation about the treatment of individuals experiencing mental health crises and the need for comprehensive reforms to both EMS and law enforcement procedures.

In early March 2024, the Rochester community held another rally, this time calling for reforms to the city’s mental health crisis response system. They demanded that the HART team (Hartford Emergency Assistance Response Team)—a co-responder program designed to pair social workers and mental health professionals with police officers during behavioral health crises—be reinstated. The program had been scaled back due to lack of federal funding, and many believed that its dismantling had directly contributed to Julian’s death and other similar incidents.

“We need to ensure that mental health crises are handled by professionals, not just the police,” said one of the protest organizers. “We can’t afford to keep putting people in these situations where they’re treated like criminals instead of being given the care they need.”

In addition to the reinstatement of the HART team, the community also called for mandatory training for both EMS and police officers on how to handle mental health emergencies. They wanted the city to take a more proactive approach in ensuring that mental health professionals were the first responders to these types of calls, rather than relying on law enforcement.

The Public Outcry and Investigations

The public outcry didn’t stop there. News outlets across the country began to pick up the story, highlighting the failure of both AMR and the RPD. The case became part of the ongoing national conversation about police reform, racial profiling, and the treatment of individuals in mental health crises.

Julian’s death became a flashpoint for those advocating for accountability in both law enforcement and emergency services. The Rochester Police Department, already under scrutiny for their actions in the case, came under further pressure as body camera footage and 911 call transcripts were released to the public. These pieces of evidence painted a stark picture of the incompetence that had led to Julian’s death.

The investigation into the incident was ongoing, with the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems also conducting an investigation into AMR’s actions. Despite the growing pressure, the police union remained steadfast in their defense of the officers involved. They continued to argue that the officers had acted within their training and that the situation had been unpredictable.

However, the evidence against the officers continued to mount.

AMR Takes Action

In the wake of the growing public pressure and the ongoing investigations, AMR took action. They fired one of the EMS workers involved in the incident and placed the other two employees on remedial training. While the termination was a step in the right direction, many community members felt it was just a start.

AMR issued a statement acknowledging the incident, stating that their standards for providing compassionate care and preserving human dignity had not been met. They pledged to improve their procedures and ensure that such a failure would never happen again. But critics weren’t convinced.

“We need more than just a statement. We need real change,” said Julian’s brother, speaking at a press conference. “This is a matter of life and death. We can’t afford to wait for another tragedy before something is done.”

The City of Rochester’s Response

As the legal proceedings continued and the investigations unfolded, the city of Rochester had to respond. The mayor, Malik Evans, who had previously expressed outrage over Julian’s death, was now under pressure to take decisive action.

Mayor Evans called for greater transparency from both AMR and the Rochester Police Department, but it was clear that his commitment to real change was still uncertain. City council members also expressed their concern, issuing a unanimous statement calling for reforms to the police department’s mental health crisis response protocols.

However, the mayor’s decision to fire Officer Magnano, one of the officers involved in the shooting death of Julian, was a significant step forward. It signaled that the city was beginning to listen to the community’s demands and was taking steps to address police misconduct. But there was still much work to be done. The families of both Julian and Steven were determined to keep the fight for justice alive.

Julian’s Family Fights for Justice

In the months that followed, the fight for justice continued. Julian’s family pushed forward with their lawsuit, demanding not only financial compensation but also meaningful reforms to ensure that future generations would not have to face the same tragedies.

The lawsuit was progressing through the courts, and while Julian’s family knew that the legal process could take years, they were committed to seeing it through. They were determined to get answers, not just for Julian, but for all the people who had suffered as a result of inadequate mental health crisis response.

Julian’s brother, now at the forefront of the family’s legal efforts, spoke to the press regularly. “We’ll never get Julian back, but we’re doing this for him,” he said. “We’re doing it for everyone who’s been failed by the system. We want justice, and we won’t stop until we get it.”