Investigations cleared Stillwater police in jail inmate's death

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Payne County District Attorney Rob Hudson says two separate investigations cleared the Stillwater Police Department of wrongdoing in a jail inmate's death. <br/><br/>Hudson

Saturday, July 31st 2004, 1:41 pm

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Payne County District Attorney Rob Hudson says two separate investigations cleared the Stillwater Police Department of wrongdoing in a jail inmate's death.

Hudson says his office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation both conducted extensive investigations into the death of Mary Giannetti in May 2003.

Giannetti's husband, Richard Giannetti, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking more than ten-thousand dollars in damages. The lawsuit claims police caused his wife's death by using excessive force.

Hudson says the incident is a tragedy, but there's no evidence to suggest improper action by police. Hudson says O-S-B-I interviewed five officers who witnessed the incident and reviewed audiotapes and videotapes of what happened.