CANTON, OH, November 2, 2024—“We acknowledge that this is just one step to achieving justice for Frank and his family in what has been a long and very difficult journey,” said Bobby DiCello, attorney for the family of Frank E. Tyson. “It is incredibly rare to achieve an outcome like this. It takes strength, courage, and a community to stand up for itself. We will not stop fighting for Frank and his family as we relentlessly pursue justice.”
Frank E. Tyson, a 53-year-old East Canton, Ohio resident, died on April 18, 2024, after being handcuffed and restrained with a knee to his upper back/neck by police while crying out, “I can’t breathe.” On November 1, 2024, two Canton police officers were charged with reckless homicide in Frank’s death. On November 2, 2024, Bobby DiCello joined with the Tyson family for a press conference, accompanied by DiCello Levitt attorneys Ken Abbarno, Joe Fouche, III, and Jordyn Parks, as well as members of the clergy and representatives from the NAACP and Greater Stark County Urban League.
“It’s not the win we were looking for, but we will take this small win and build upon it,” Frank’s brother John Tyson told the room of reporters and community members.
“Today is about Frank and celebrating his life and the small step we’ve taken to achieve justice. We must now trust the process,” Bobby DiCello said. “The prosecutor for Stark County acted with courage to bring charges to the grand jury. This is how justice works—through acts of courage. Acts of integrity. And acts of kindness.”
“Every officer who is excessively violent, who is indicted and taken off the streets, makes it a little safer for everyone today,” Bobby added. “I want to remind the leadership of the city of Canton, we need a dialogue. The people standing with me today, need a dialogue about how to make this city better—a city we can be proud of.”
Watch the full press conference online here.
About Bobby DiCello
Bobby DiCello, a nationally renowned trial lawyer who has earned multimillion-dollar verdicts, devotes himself to gaining justice for people whose lives have been destroyed by the powerful and the reckless. A former prosecutor, Bobby champions systemic change and is a pioneer in trial science. His accomplishments in the courtroom have been recognized by outlets such as ABC News, for whom he provided ongoing, real-time analysis on the landmark civil rights trial in its series “The Death of George Floyd: Derek Chauvin on Trial.” Public Justice, a national legal advocacy organization, recognized Bobby with its prestigious Trial Lawyers of the Year award for his work on the landmark Black v. Hicks case. Mr. Arnold Black was a victim of appalling brutality and corruption in the City of East Cleveland, Ohio. Bobby tried Black’s case to a jury that awarded a record $50 million—a verdict sustained by the U.S. Supreme Court.
About DiCello Levitt
At DiCello Levitt, we’re dedicated to achieving justice for our clients through class action, civil and human rights, business-to-business, public client, whistleblower, personal injury, and mass tort litigation. Our lawyers are highly respected for their ability to litigate and win cases—whether by trial, settlement, or otherwise—for people who have suffered harm, global corporations that have sustained significant economic losses, and public clients seeking to protect their citizens’ rights and interests. Every day, we put our reputations—and our capital—on the line for our clients.
DiCello Levitt has achieved top recognition as 2024 Civil Rights Firm of the Year, 2023 Plaintiffs Firm of the Year and 2023 Trial Innovation Firm of the Year by the National Law Journal, in addition to its top-tier Chambers and Benchmark ratings. For more information about the firm, including recent trial victories and case resolutions, please visit www.dicellolevitt.com.
Media Contact
Caitlin Whitehurst, Director of Communications, [email protected], 513-582-3532