Homicide Ruling on Beating

The death of a black Cincinnati man in a struggle with police was ruled a homicide last night, in a coroner's decision expected to raise tensions in the racially volatile city.

The death of Nathaniel Jones has been seen around the country after it was filmed by a video camera mounted in a police car. He is seen lunging at policemen who then beat him with metal truncheons until one of them is heard to call for medical help.

An initial report found that the overweight 41-year-old had a weak heart and had taken both cocaine and PCP, "angel dust", a few hours before his death.

A coroner's report issued last night declared the death a homicide, but stopped short of putting the blame on the police.

The coroner, Carl Parrott, said: "The underlying cause is the physical struggle engaged in by an overweight man with a bad heart."

But he added that the description of the death as a homicide "should not be interpreted as implying inappropriate behaviour or the use of excessive force by police."

"Whether or not that occurred is not within the scope of my training or experience nor that of my staff," Mr Parrott said.

Black community leaders were last night planning to hold a meeting to decide how to respond, two years after riots broke out over the police shooting of a black man fleeing arrest.