Police video sheds new light on Oakland man’s in-custody death

Warning these images may be disturbing to some readers: Officers approach James Greer's truck after pulling him over for suspected drunk driving. Hayward Police officers recorded this body camera footage of the detention of Joseph Greer, 46, after a traffic stop, which ultimately resulted in his death. less Warning these images may be disturbing to some readers: Officers approach James Greer's truck after pulling him over for suspected drunk driving. Hayward Police officers recorded this body camera footage of the ... more Photo: Hayward Police Department Photo: Hayward Police Department Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Police video sheds new light on Oakland man’s in-custody death 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

Newly released police body camera footage shows the agonizing final moments for a 46-year-old Oakland man who died while being restrained by Hayward police following a late-night traffic stop.

The episode is the subject of a wrongful-death lawsuit filed last year in Alameda County Superior Court by attorneys for the family of James Greer.

Hayward police stopped Greer on May 23, 2014, around 10:45 p.m. along Mission Boulevard to check on whether he was driving under the influence.

That stop soon turned physical when Greer, 46, stumbled sideways away from Hayward and BART police officers during a field sobriety test. Several officers quickly surrounded the man, who was obese, and an apparent struggle ensued.

“What are you doing to me,” Greer is heard saying in the body camera footage. “What are you doing? What are you doing?”

Officers can be heard telling him several times to put his hands behind his back.

But after a struggle, in which officers repeatedly shocked him with stun guns while attempting to restrain him, Greer loses consciousness. He was later pronounced deceased.

The Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau listed the cause of Greer’s death as acute PCP intoxication associated with physical exertion.

But attorney Fulvio Cajina, who is representing Greer’s son, said, “It’s definitely wrongful death.”

“The officers were clearly negligent. You have a person who is not aggressive, who never swung at offers, and they are using Tasers repeatedly,” said Cajina, who released the body-camera footage to The Chronicle.

Cajina is seeking unspecified damages. Greer’s family plans to hold a rally at Hayward City Hall on Monday to mark the two-year anniversary of his death.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: EvanSernoffsky