Minnesota prison officer's death ruled a homicide

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner says homicide was the cause of death of an Oak Park Heights corrections officer.

Joseph Parise, 37, died in late September after suffering what was described at the time as a medical emergency. State corrections officials had said he died after rushing to help another officer who was being assaulted.

After returning to his post, Parise collapsed and was taken to Regions Hospital, where he died, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections. The department at the time did not say if Parise's death was connected to his response to the earlier inmate assault.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner said Friday it determined that Parise died from coronary artery syndrome and heart disease, but described it as homicide, a legal term for slaying or killing.

That's unusual in such cases, said Lori Hedican, the chief investigator at the medical examiner's office.

Her agency, she added, concluded the manner of death was homicide after reviewing the autopsy findings in conjunction with the investigation and evidence from the Department of Corrections.