No wrongdoing in Yale professor's death in jail, internal probe finds

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Police officers and jail guards committed no wrongdoing in the arrest and detention of a Yale University professor who died in a cell in November, according to internal investigations by the Connecticut Judicial Branch and New Haven police.

The medical examiner's office ruled last month that Samuel See died of acute methamphetamine and amphetamine intoxication with a recent heart attack and that his death was an accident.

The 34-year-old See was detained by police responding to a report of domestic dispute. Police say See was found unresponsive the next day in his cell at the New Haven detention facility.

The judicial investigation concluded marshals followed procedures and there was no evidence that See's death was the result of negligence or inattention. A police probe found no violations of department rules or orders.

David Rosen, an attorney hired by See's family, said they're still gathering information.

"We want to know all we can about how and why Sam See died," Rosen wrote in an email. "Legal judgments are for later."

See was an assistant professor of English and American studies who was on leave from the Ivy League university in New Haven.

Police said they received a complaint of a domestic dispute on Nov. 23. They said officers spoke with Saunder Ganglani, who identified See as his husband and said he went to the home they shared to retrieve his belongings. Ganglani was charged with violating a protective order.

Police said officers told See there also was a protective order protecting Ganglani from him.

See became enraged, yelling that it was his house and that he shouldn't be arrested, police said. He struggled with officers and sustained a cut above his left eye for which he was treated at a hospital before he was taken to the detention facility, police said.

See was charged with violating a protective order, threatening and interfering with police.

See was brought to the detention center at about 9:10 p.m. on Nov. 23 by police and was alert and communicating with marshals throughout his detainment, officials have said.

Marshals found him unresponsive in his cell at about 6 a.m. on Nov. 24 and immediately provided CPR, which continued until New Haven Fire and Rescue arrived, officials said.

See was quiet, polite and cooperative, according to the judicial report. He never made any complaints or asked for medical attention and showed no signs of distress, according to the report.

Video surveillance confirmed marshals conducted and documented all cell block tours in accordance with procedures and that resuscitation efforts began immediately when See was found unresponsive, the report said.