Video shows Haverhill man calling for help during struggle with police before his death

The Essex County district attorney's office released a video compiling the final hours in 43-year-old Francis Gigliotti's life.

Gigliotti died on July 11 after seven Haverhill police officers pinned him to the ground outside a busy seafood restaurant.

District Attorney Paul Tucker’s office is investigating the incident.

Ahead of any determination, Tucker summoned reporters Monday to watch a 28-minute video, compiled from an array of security camera and cell phone footage. Haverhill police do not wear body cameras.

The video appears to show Gigliotti behaving erratically, walking up and down the streets of Haverhill, dodging through traffic, entering a liquor store and interacting with people in the street.

At one point, Gigliotti appears to run away from officers before they tackle him at the entrance of a seafood restaurant. Video taken from inside the busy restaurant shows police subduing Gigliotti.

Video shot outside the restaurant depicts Gigliotti crying out for help. A bystander urged police to use caution.

“Be easy with that boy, he got issues,” said the man filming, whom the district attorney’s office did not identify. “Be easy with that boy, you heard?”

One officer looked up and said, "We're trying not to hurt him."

Later in the video, onlookers commented that Gigliotti appeared to be dead. That portion of the video displayed by the district attorney's office was grayed out.

According to police records, Gigliotti was declared dead after arriving at a local hospital at 7:21 p.m., less than an hour after police said they received the 911 call about him.

After showing the video, Tucker said said he wanted to make the footage public for the sake of transparency, and to address speculation about the nature of Gigliotti's death.

“I'm drawing no conclusions as of today,” Tucker said. “Obviously that would be part of any investigation that we do.”

The district attorney said he met with Gigliotti's family before releasing the video.

Tucker said his investigation will determine whether criminal charges surrounding Gigliotti's death are warranted.

One man has already been charged. Three days after Gigliotti’s death, Haverhill police arrested 43-year-old Joseph Hurley and charged him with distributing a class B narcotic.

According to the police report provided by the district attorney's office, Gigliotti allegedly bought and consumed crack cocaine prior to the “manic” episode that ended in his death.

The seven officers involved are on paid leave, Tucker said.