rustoffa
09-19-2007, 06:46 PM
Heart attack — not head butt — kills Snellville man
Autopsy shows man suffered from coronary artery disease
By ANDRIA SIMMONS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/18/07
Cops tend to see their share of the odd, unusual and quirky.
Yet what happened on Pine Street in Snellville this week may take the cake for Chief Roy Whitehead of the Snellville Police Department.
"The whole thing is just bizarre," the chief said. "The only way it could get more bizarre is if it was on Jerry Springer."
On Monday, investigators say, a disabled artist known for painting with his feet charged across a street and head-butted his girlfriend's former flame, 49-year-old Charles "Keith" Teer of Snellville.
Teer collapsed and died moments later.
Police suspicion fell onto the artist with no arms, William "Rusty" Redfern, who had dialed 911 and driven to the police station to report the altercation.
On Tuesday afternoon, however, came news that a heart attack — not the head butt — killed Teer.
Teer suffered from coronary artery disease, said Ted Bailey, chief forensic investigator for the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner's Office. He was unaware of his ailment, said his sister Sandra Teer Elliott.
Prior to their break-up in April, Teer and his girlfriend, Cindy Eaton, lived for about two years in a white one-story house across the street from Elliott.
After they split up, Teer remained obsessed with Eaton for several months, the relationship was on-again, off-again, Elliott said. Some time this year, Eaton also began dating Redfern.
Redfern hung up the phone when contacted by a reporter at his Tucker home Tuesday.
He is a relatively well-known artist who learned to do pen-and-ink drawings with his right foot in a pointillist style, using hundreds of tiny dots to form a picture.
Redfern is self-sufficient despite being born with no right arm and only a stump for a left arm. He can drive a car, mow the grass and do many other routine things using either the stump or his feet, Elliott said.
His artwork was the foundation for a greeting card business in the 1990s, the Journal-Constitution reported in 1995, and it has been exhibited at numerous arts festivals. Redfern has also visited schools and hospitals to demonstrate how he developed his talents to triumph over a potential disability.
Within the past two weeks, Teer accepted that the relationship with Eaton was over, Elliott said. He made plans to relocate to Florida and live with a relative.
On Monday, Teer called Eaton twice to talk about retrieving some furniture he wanted to take with him, Elliot said. Those calls apparently set off a fight between the two men.
Elliott's 27-year-old daughter, Christian Elliott, witnessed the skirmish.
She said Redfern stormed across the street, cursing and yelling, and kicked Teer. The pair scuffled until an acquaintance separated them. Then Redfern charged at Teer and head-butted him, the younger Elliott said.
Teer's relatives want police to charge Redfern with a crime — involuntary manslaughter, perhaps, or at least battery for starting the fight and criminal trespass for coming onto their property.
"Police said they don't think it's intentional, and I said neither do I," the elder Elliot said, "but it doesn't matter because he killed my brother."
Investigators are still reviewing witness accounts and other evidence to determine whether any charges should be filed against him, said Whitehead.
"It's a tragedy because somebody died, but at this point we don't have enough to charge anybody," Whitehead said.
Link (http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2007/09/18/unarmed_0919_web.html)
Autopsy shows man suffered from coronary artery disease
By ANDRIA SIMMONS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/18/07
Cops tend to see their share of the odd, unusual and quirky.
Yet what happened on Pine Street in Snellville this week may take the cake for Chief Roy Whitehead of the Snellville Police Department.
"The whole thing is just bizarre," the chief said. "The only way it could get more bizarre is if it was on Jerry Springer."
On Monday, investigators say, a disabled artist known for painting with his feet charged across a street and head-butted his girlfriend's former flame, 49-year-old Charles "Keith" Teer of Snellville.
Teer collapsed and died moments later.
Police suspicion fell onto the artist with no arms, William "Rusty" Redfern, who had dialed 911 and driven to the police station to report the altercation.
On Tuesday afternoon, however, came news that a heart attack — not the head butt — killed Teer.
Teer suffered from coronary artery disease, said Ted Bailey, chief forensic investigator for the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner's Office. He was unaware of his ailment, said his sister Sandra Teer Elliott.
Prior to their break-up in April, Teer and his girlfriend, Cindy Eaton, lived for about two years in a white one-story house across the street from Elliott.
After they split up, Teer remained obsessed with Eaton for several months, the relationship was on-again, off-again, Elliott said. Some time this year, Eaton also began dating Redfern.
Redfern hung up the phone when contacted by a reporter at his Tucker home Tuesday.
He is a relatively well-known artist who learned to do pen-and-ink drawings with his right foot in a pointillist style, using hundreds of tiny dots to form a picture.
Redfern is self-sufficient despite being born with no right arm and only a stump for a left arm. He can drive a car, mow the grass and do many other routine things using either the stump or his feet, Elliott said.
His artwork was the foundation for a greeting card business in the 1990s, the Journal-Constitution reported in 1995, and it has been exhibited at numerous arts festivals. Redfern has also visited schools and hospitals to demonstrate how he developed his talents to triumph over a potential disability.
Within the past two weeks, Teer accepted that the relationship with Eaton was over, Elliott said. He made plans to relocate to Florida and live with a relative.
On Monday, Teer called Eaton twice to talk about retrieving some furniture he wanted to take with him, Elliot said. Those calls apparently set off a fight between the two men.
Elliott's 27-year-old daughter, Christian Elliott, witnessed the skirmish.
She said Redfern stormed across the street, cursing and yelling, and kicked Teer. The pair scuffled until an acquaintance separated them. Then Redfern charged at Teer and head-butted him, the younger Elliott said.
Teer's relatives want police to charge Redfern with a crime — involuntary manslaughter, perhaps, or at least battery for starting the fight and criminal trespass for coming onto their property.
"Police said they don't think it's intentional, and I said neither do I," the elder Elliot said, "but it doesn't matter because he killed my brother."
Investigators are still reviewing witness accounts and other evidence to determine whether any charges should be filed against him, said Whitehead.
"It's a tragedy because somebody died, but at this point we don't have enough to charge anybody," Whitehead said.
Link (http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2007/09/18/unarmed_0919_web.html)