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Prosecutor Asks State Police to Investigate Arrest

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) – A prosecutor says he has asked West Virginia State Police to investigate the death of a man who slipped into a coma hours after his arrest and never regained consciousness.

Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Plymale told news outlets that he understood a Kenova police officer, or officers, had 50-year-old James Dean in handcuffs on April 5 when an incident of some kind occurred outside the Kenova police station. Dean was rushed to the hospital hours later and died Monday.

Officers arrested him after his mother, Olivia Dean, reported that he was intoxicated and was verbally abusing and threatening her.

Attorney John Bryan represents the Dean family and says he hopes state police can determine what happened.