DNC guest, California tribal leader dies
By Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published September 4, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Police are investigating the death of a California tribal leader following a physical confrontation with a Denver strip club bouncer - two days after he attended the Democratic National Convention.
Gabriel Pico, 41, suffered unspecified injuries during a "physical altercation" with a security official outside the Diamond Cabaret, 1222 Glenarm Place, about 2 a.m. Saturday, said Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson.
He didn't have details about the dispute.
Pico was taken to Denver Health Medical Center. He died two days later just before 8 p.m. Monday, said Michelle Weiss-Samaras, Denver's chief deputy coroner.
An autopsy was conducted Wednesday, but it will take weeks to complete additional medical tests, including toxicology and tissue analysis, before a ruling can be made on the cause and manner of death, Weiss-Samaras said.
Jackson said the coroner's ruling on how Pico died is key to the investigation. Police were unable to speak with the hospitalized man before he died.
The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians in Southern California issued a statement Tuesday saying the man "suffered a heart attack early Saturday morning in Denver following the Democratic National Convention."
Pico was elected in July to the Pechanga Tribal Council. It sets policy and administers governmental programs for the tribe, which runs the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif.
"He was not a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He was there as a guest only to attend some of the events," said Jacob Mejia, a tribal public affairs official. Mejia said he had no information about the Diamond Cabaret incident.
"This is a big loss for our tribe," said tribal council chairman Mark Macarro in the statement. "Though Gabe had only been in office a few weeks, it was evident that he was a tremendous asset to the council and the tribe. He will be missed dearly."
Pico is survived by three daughters, two sons, one grandson, six siblings, and his mother, Bernice Pico, the tribal council said.
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