BAKERSFIELD, CA - Cell phone videos that witnesses say, show the in-custody death of a Bakersfield man will not be released, even though the phones were returned to their owners.
It's still not clear if the videos will ever be released to the public. Attorney John Tello held a news conference late Friday afternoon outside his downtown Bakersfield office. For the past week, Tello represented the eyewitnesses whose phones were seized by deputies after David Silva's death.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood said those phones were turned over to Bakersfield police and the FBI in Sacramento, before they were turned over to their owners on Wednesday.
But, Tello didn't release any cell phone video Friday. He said his expert is looking at the phones and the analysis won't be complete until Monday or Tuesday.
Tello also announced the owners of the phones will now be represented by local attorney Daniel Rodriguez.
"Mr. Rodriguez has extensive experience and expertise in handling civil rights matters in federal court and has litigated numerous cases involving violations of citizen's rights successfully," said Tello.
Silva, a father of four, died last week outside Kern Medical Center following an eight-minute struggle with deputies. Salvador Silva believes his son was drunk when he passed out in some bushes outside the hospital. A cause of death is pending toxicology results.