2 Canton officers indicted in Frank Tyson's death post $25,000 bond

Judge Kristin Farmer set a bond Monday morning of $25,000 each for the two officers accused in the death of Frank Tyson, which both officers later posted and were released.

A grand jury indicted officers Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch with reckless homicide, which is a third-degree felony.

RELATED:'No one is above the law': Stark Co. prosecuting attorney shares grand jury findings of Frank Tyson's death

The officers waived the right to appear during the hearing.

Frank Tyson's attorney, Bobby DiCello, said it was concerning that over 50 officers packed the courtroom and an overflow room.

DiCello made it a point to say something to the judge before a decision was made on bond.

“We would ask that the presence of over 50 law enforcement officers gathered here today not influence in any way that decision," DiCello said in court.

News 5 Investigators asked County Prosecutor Kyle Stone about DiCello's concern about the show of officers in court.

"It’s a tough case but I want to remind the public and the community that these gentlemen are innocent until proven guilty and we’ll do what we’re supposed to and follow the law," Stone said.

We asked DiCello how the Tyson family felt about it.

“The family wasn’t comfortable, I wouldn’t say intimidated; one of the things we’ve been able to do is remind them to trust the process," DiCello said.

Moving forward, DiCello said he'll continue to ask the city to have a conversation about police policy.

News 5 Investigators showed how the police department's use of force policy has no mention of prone restraint, which some policing experts say there's clear guidance it could lead to positional asphyxia and the person should be rolled over.

The policy does say calls involving people who are extremely agitated or require multiple officers for control should be considered medical emergencies.

“We’re going to hopefully have an opportunity to work with the city to examine and improve their policies and there’s one of two ways that can go we can have a voluntary dialogue or we can seek relief in court," DiCello said.

An arraignment for the two officers has been set for 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 8.

What happened?

On the night of April 18, Tyson died after being arrested by the two Canton officers.

The interaction between Tyson and police started when officers responded to a car crash.

Officers found a power pole taken out and a car off the side of the road with a blown airbag.

RELATED: Man dies while in custody of Canton Police following crash

Witnesses told officers Tyson ran into a bar. Canton police body camera video showed police going hands-on when Tyson knocked over a chair.

The video showed a struggle as police took Tyson to the floor, and seconds later, an officer placed a knee on Tyson’s back.

Tyson told officers he couldn’t breathe seven times. Seven minutes passed from when Tyson was handcuffed to when officers realized something was wrong.

The officers began doing chest compressions and administering naloxone. Tyson was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

In August, Tyson's death was ruled a homicide.

Reaction

During a press conference on Saturday, DiCello said the indictment of the officers is a step toward getting justice.

“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,” DiCello said. “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.”

DiCello was with a group of people who had experienced police violence, including family members of Tyson's.

“I was always thinking there was gonna be a win in this situation; I mean, we’ve been praying on it as a family; people have been praying for us as a family,” John Tyson, Frank's brother, said. “It’s not the win we was looking for, but still, just like the indictment was unexpected, and we’re gonna take this small win and build upon it and just go to the next stage and phases.”

The community also showed their support during the press conference, calling it a day of celebration.

"A lot of good people in this community put their differences aside to try to work together to keep his name alive, because we don't want our family members to be next," said Whillamina Jackson.

Saturday evening, Canton Mayor William Sherer released the following statement regarding the officers' indictment:

“I am aware and acknowledge the indictments of Officers Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch brought forth by the Stark County Prosecutor for the case surrounding the death of Frank Tyson. While I remain committed to transparency during times like these, given this is a pending case, I am limited on the information we can provide at this time.”