CANTON, Ohio — Bond has been set at $25,000 for Camden Burch and Beau Schoenegge -- the two Canton police officers charged with reckless homicide in connection with the death of Frank Tyson -- during a brief court hearing in Stark County on Monday morning.
Neither officer attended the bond hearing as they both waived their right to appear.
Both are now set for arraignment at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 8.
Burch and Schoenegge, who are each 24 years old, could face up to three years in prison if convicted on the charge of reckless homicide, which is a third-degree felony.
Prior to the bond's announcement, attorney Bobby DiCello, who is representing Tyson's family, noted the number of police officers present in the courtroom while asking the judge to be fair in her decision.
“We would ask that the presence of over 50 law enforcement officers gathered here today not influence in any way that decision," DiCello told the judge. "In my years as a prosecutor and in my years in the courts, I’ve never seen what I’m seeing today, and it’s concerning that the presence, the concept of presence, is being used in this way. Taxpayers are paying for these officers to be here. While we support their right to do what they’re doing, support their officers, we just implore the court to use the same fairness that it would use in every other case.”
You can watch the hearing below.
CASE DETAILS
The situation dates back to April 18 when police responded to the AMVETS on Sherrick Road Southeast where authorities said Tyson arrived after crashing his car nearby.
In a release from April 19, police stated that Tyson struggled with the officers before they secured him, and that the officers noticed he was unresponsive "shortly after securing him in handcuffs." After performing CPR and administering multiple doses of Narcan, Tyson was later pronounced dead at an area hospital.
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Canton police said it immediately contacted the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) to conduct "an independent investigation of the incident."
On April 24, Canton police released body camera footage showing the moments leading up to Tyson’s death, and the footage included Tyson's last words as he told officers, "I can't breathe."
In all, the 35-minute, 46-second video shows officers arriving to the scene, confronting Tyson, and attempting to take him into custody. One of the officers was seen putting his knee on Tyson's upper body for roughly 30 seconds. After Tyson's last words, the video also shows a period of five-plus minutes where he laid motionless on the floor before police checked for a pulse.
Both Schoenegge and Burch were placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy.
In August, while BCI continued their investigation, the Stark County Coroner's Office ruled Tyson’s death a homicide. Chief Investigator Harry Campbell said the autopsy showed two causes of death:
- Cardio Pulmonary Arrest in association with physical altercation and prone restraint.
- Ischemic Cardio Vascular Disease and acute intoxication by cocaine and ethanol.
The autopsy also listed obesity as a "significant condition" in Tyson's death.
Charges against Burch and Schoenegge were confirmed during a press conference Saturday.
"Now we know who the bad guy is, and it wasn't Frank," DiCello said after the charges were announced. "It's official. The indictment tells you who to focus on now. The narrative has changed."
Rev. Al Sharpton came to Canton in May where he delivered the eulogy at Tyson's funeral.
“Frank Tyson’s cries of ‘I can’t breathe’ are ones we have heard far too often when Black men and women die in police custody,” said Rev. Sharpton. “Once again, we have seen footage of those pleas for help not only ignored but dismissed by officers using excessive force -- who then left him to lie unconscious for several minutes. I have answered the family’s call to deliver Frank’s eulogy and remain committed to delivering justice for them.”