State trooper justified for use of force that resulted in Canterbury man's death

The Office of the Inspector General determined that a state trooper was justified in his actions during an encounter that led to a man's subsequent death days later.

Officials said Ryan Marzi died four days after an encounter with police on Aug. 24, 2022. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Marzi died by homicide after suffering a blood clot in his leg which traveled up to his lung and prevented his body from receiving oxygen.

The blood clot formed as a direct result of the minor injury he suffered during an encounter with police days prior, according to the Inspector General.

According to authorities, troopers were called to a home on Westminster Road in Canterbury for a reported domestic violence incident. A woman reported that she had been assaulted.

Once at the scene, Trooper Desmond Stimson tried to handcuff Marzi, but a struggle took place. Stimson appears to grab the man from behind and they both fell to the ground. During the altercation, Marzi made cries in pain and couldn't stand up. Stimson suffered a fractured and dislocated knee.

The Inspector General's Office said Stimson's body-worn camera captured the incident, however it was dark out and somewhat difficult to see what happened.

Another trooper that responded did not turn on her body-worn camera until the man was already handcuffed. Officials said she also appears to turn off the sound a couple of times during the incident.

The second trooper arrived and tasered Marzi for approximately 60 seconds. Together, both troopers handcuffed Marzi, and he was eventually charged with third-degree assault, disorderly conduct and interfering with an officer.

When asked why the taser was discharged for so long, the second trooper said, "it took several seconds to have the desired immobilizing effect, at which point [Marzi] became compliant and was placed into custody."

The Office of the Inspector General said Marzi initially went to the hospital complaining of knee pain. He had cuts to both knees and still had two taser prongs in his chest. The wounds were cleaned up, and he was given a tetanus shot and discharged, according to police.

On Aug. 28, troopers were called to an apartment on Wellswood Road in Hebron for a reported unresponsive man. The man, identified as Marzi, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police didn't note any signs of foul play or anything suspicious, and the autopsy concluded that Marzi's death had nothing to do with being tased.

"The investigation establishes that Trooper Stimson used force against Ryan Marzi and although that force did, unfortunately, set into motion circumstances that resulted in his subsequent death four days later, the minimal amount of forced applied was justified under Connecticut law," the report concludes.

The inspector general determined that Stimson's use of force was justified, but the other officer's taser deployment is still being investigated.