LA coroner walks back suicide ruling in hanging death of Robert Fuller amid backlash

Los Angeles County officials on Monday walked back a ruling of suicide in the hanging death of Robert Fuller after challenges from family.

Fuller, 24, was discovered hanging from a tree last Wednesday less than two weeks after 38-year-old Malcolm Harsch from Victorville, Calif., was found dead in a similar manner, according to LAist. Both men were black.

Coroner Jonathan Lucas said Monday that the initial finding for Fuller was based on the lack of evidence of foul play, but now he believes “that we should look into it a little more deeply and carefully, just considering all the circumstances at play.”

During a rally for Fuller on Saturday, his sister Diamond Alexander said the initial ruling over Fuller’s death “did not make sense” based on what she knew about her brother.

“Everything that they’ve been telling us has not been right,” she said, according to video of the rally in Palmdale. “We’ve been hearing one thing. Then we hear another. And we just want to know the truth.”

“My brother was not suicidal,” she added. “He wasn’t.”

Diamond Alexander is Robert Fuller’s middle sister. She says that he “was a good little brother to us. Everything that they’ve been telling us has not been right…my brother was not suicidal.” At #JUSTICEFORROBERTFULLER rally. pic.twitter.com/z3FY69NAo3

— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) June 13, 2020

Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) said his office would aid the sheriff’s department in the investigation. Several Palmdale officials support the move, including County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, state Sen. Scott Wilk (R), and state Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R).

The county coroner’s decision follows public protests over the weekend demanding a more thorough investigation into Fuller’s death.

The preliminary ruling on Fuller’s death sparked an outcry from activists and protesters who say officials were too quick to rule on his case.

An announcement by local authorities Saturday furthered support for “the call for an independent investigation and an independent autopsy.” 

Since Fuller’s death on June 10, numerous charities and petitions have circulated social media in support of demands for a more thorough investigation. 

Robert Fuller was found dead June 10, 2020, hanging from a tree outside City Hall Palmdale. Sign this petition to demand for a thorough and proper investigation #JusticeforRobertFuller https://t.co/czUqCrmE8m

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 12, 2020