木からつり下がった黒人男性の遺体、徹底捜査へ　米

【ＡＦＰ＝時事】米カリフォルニア州ロサンゼルス郡で先週木からつり下がった状態で発見され、自殺と判断されていた若い黒人男性の遺体について、同郡保安官事務所は15日、事件性を視野に入れて徹底的に捜査をやり直す方針を発表した。（写真は米カリフォルニア州ロサンゼルス郡パームデールで、黒人男性ロバート・フューラーさんの遺体がつり下がった状態で発見された木を取り囲み、徹底捜査を要求するデモを行う人々）
　ロサンゼルス市の北東約１００キロに位置するパームデールの市庁舎付近で今月１０日未明、２４歳の黒人男性ロバート・フューラーさんの遺体が、首に巻かれたロープで木からつり下がった状態で発見された。当局は当初自殺と発表していた。
　だがロサンゼルス郡のアレックス・ビラヌエバ保安官は１５日、当初の発表を撤回し、「一つの見逃しもないよう」徹底的な捜査を行うと述べ、検視を命じたことを明らかにした。同保安官は、「この死亡事例に関する捜査が、パームデールの地域社会だけではなく、米国全体にとっての大きな関心事であることは明らかだ」と述べ、州司法長官や連邦捜査局（ＦＢＩ）にも報告したと語った。
　今後、遺族や発見者の事情聴取の他、監視カメラ映像の解析や首に巻かれていたロープの科学捜査、フューラーさんの病歴の調査などが行われる。
　フューラーさんの死をめぐっては遺族が自殺の可能性に疑問を投げ掛け、徹底的な捜査を要求。１３日には早々に自殺と判断した当局に対する抗議デモがパームデールで行われ、数千人が参加した。
　周辺では５月３１日にもパームデールから東約８０キロのビクタービルにあるホームレスの野営地付近で、黒人男性のマルコム・ハーシュさん（３８）が木に首をつった状態で発見されている。所轄の保安官事務所は事件性はないとしているが、遺族はその見解を疑問視している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/06/16-13:27）

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Monday pledged a thorough investigation into the death of a black 24-year-old man found hanging from a tree in southern California.
It is in our interest to make sure that we leave no rock unturned, Villanueva told a news conference, adding that he had contacted the state attorney general and had reached out to the FBI over Robert Fuller's death last week.
This death investigation obviously is of great concern to the community, not only of Palmdale, but throughout the nation, the sheriff said. Robert Fuller was a young man in the prime of his life, and his death obviously is painful for many people.
Authorities had initially said that Fuller -- who was found at around 3:30 am last Wednesday with a rope around his neck near the city hall in Palmdale, about 60 miles northeast of Los Angeles -- had taken his own life -- but then backtracked and ordered an autopsy.
Villanueva said investigators plan to seek out surveillance video and conduct forensic analysis of the rope used in Fuller's death and look into his medical history.
They also plan to speak with his family and the witnesses who found him.
They're gonna stick to it 'til they get to the truth of what happened, Villanueva said.
Thousands of protesters had gathered on Saturday in Palmdale to remember Fuller and to demand a full investigation to determine whether he died by suicide of if there was foul play.
Fuller's family has cast doubt on the possibility he would take his own life and has urged a full investigation.
We want to find out the truth on what really happened, his sister, Diamond Alexander, said on Saturday. Everything they told us is not right. We just want the truth. My brother was not suicidal. He was a survivor. He was street smart.
Tommie Anderson, a close friend of Fuller, described him as the sweetest person you know.
He had the biggest smile, the best laugh, she told the local ABC station. He could make two people who didn't like each other sit in a room together.
Fuller's death took place as protests over police brutality and racism have roiled American cities in recent weeks following the death of George Floyd while in custody in Minneapolis.
Questions have also been raised following the death last month of another black man about 50 miles east of Palmdale.
Malcolm Harsch, 38, was found on May 31 hanging from a tree near a homeless encampment in Victorville.
The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department said no foul play is suspected but his family has also raised concerns.
He didn't seem to be depressed to anyone who truly knew him, his family told reporters. Everyone who knew our brother was shocked to hear that he allegedly hung himself and don't believe it to be true. The explanation of suicide does not seem plausible.