New York's Office of Special Investigation concluded that criminal charges are not warranted in the death of a man who became unresponsive while state troopers restrained him during a mental health emergency in Oneida County.
Matthew Brown died March 25, 2025, after an encounter the previous night with New York State Police troopers and a Oneida County sheriff's deputy at a home in Trenton, according to a report released by Attorney General Letitia James' office.
Report reconstructs 23-minute encounter
Troopers responded at 11:31 p.m. March 24 after a 911 caller reported that a man was experiencing what the caller described as a psychotic attack. Brown opened the door and briefly spoke with the troopers before reaching for one trooper's gun, the report said.
Both troopers forced Brown to the ground at 11:33 p.m. One straddled him while the other handcuffed his hands behind his back, and they requested an ambulance and mental health evaluation two minutes later.
A Oneida County sheriff's deputy arrived at 11:40 p.m. and saw a trooper holding Brown down. The report said Brown struggled several times while officers kept him in a prone position as they waited for the ambulance.
At 11:54 p.m., Brown began making involuntary movements, and officers rolled him onto his side. He made a noise but did not respond, medical personnel treated him while taking him to a hospital, and he was pronounced dead at 1:05 a.m. March 25.
Toxicology finding shapes legal conclusion
The medical examiner determined that Brown died from bupropion toxicity, the report said. Investigators found no evidence that asphyxia, positional asphyxia or another injury caused by the officers contributed to his death.
OSI reviewed body-camera footage, the 911 call, ambulance records and an involved officer's statement. Investigators also interviewed officers, medical professionals and a civilian witness before concluding that prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers caused Brown's death or committed a crime.
The report said officers had legal authority to detain Brown because the call and his effort to take a trooper's gun indicated an immediate safety risk. It also noted that officers changed his position and sought to speed the ambulance response once he appeared unwell.
Statewide recommendations target emergency response
OSI recommended that State Police expand training on the danger of positional asphyxia during prone restraint and teach officers to manage that risk by using alternative restraint positions.
The office also recommended that Oneida County 911 operators, and emergency dispatchers statewide, immediately bring mental health service providers into calls involving a suspected mental health emergency. A separate recommendation calls for State Police protocols requiring mental health professionals to be involved in mental health responses.
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