Two former Canton police officers will not serve any additional time in jail in connection with the 2024 death of Frank Tyson, who died while being taken into custody.
On Thursday, visiting Judge James Kimbler sentenced Beau Schoenegge to 90 days in jail, with 86 days suspended and credit for four days of time already served. Schoenegge will be on probation for three years and will not be eligible to work for any agency with policing or arresting authority. He entered a guilty plea in August to a reduced misdemeanor charge of dereliction of duty.
Camden Burch received 30 days in jail with 26 of those suspended for his guilty plea, and received credit for four days already served, on a charge of failure to report a crime. Burch will also be on probation for two years and will not be able to apply or accept any appointment to a policing agency during that time.
Both men had accepted plea agreements in August to the reduced charges and resigned from the Canton Police Department as a condition of those agreements.
Before the sentencing, the court heard from members of Tyson’s family who recalled him as a good man who loved life and was to be married in 2024.
The officers did not speak during the sentencing hearing on the advice of lawyers due to a pending civil action.
Tyson, 53, was fleeing from a crash on Canton's East Side on April 18, 2024, when Schoenegge and Burch located him at an AMVETS building on Sherrick Road, according to a news release from Canton Police. Officers alleged Tyson resisted arrest, leading to a struggle.
Bodycam footage showed that Tyson began yelling, “Call the sheriff” and "They’re going to kill me" as officers entered the building.
Officers struggled to get Tyson to the ground as he repeatedly yelled that he couldn’t breathe. One officer eventually put his knee on Tyson’s back.
“You’re fine. Shut the (expletive) up,” one of the officers was heard saying in the body camera footage.
Footage also showed Tyson motionless on the ground for seven minutes before officers began administering CPR. Officers gave him Narcan, which is used to reverse overdoses, before paramedics arrived, according to the news release. Tyson was transported to Aultman Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy ruled Tyson's death a homicide.