34-year-old dies of injuries he received while 2 months old, Indiana police say

Patrick Mitchell was found seriously injured in 1988 when he was 2 months old, Indianapolis police say.

Mitchell died of those injuries on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 34 years old, according to a news release from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

While Mitchell was hurt as a baby, police say his death will be considered a 2022 homicide.

The original investigation more than three decades ago led to the arrest of John Coleman, who was 22 at the time, police said. He was convicted of felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury and served his time within the Indiana Department of Corrections, the release said.

Now, police say the department is investigating and plans to make a case to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office to determine if Coleman can be charged in what the coroner says is now a homicide.

It is possible the prosecutor’s office will deny additional charges, citing double jeopardy.

Double jeopardy, a clause within the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution, prohibits people from being prosecuted more than once for what is considered to be the same offense.

This story was originally published February 14, 2022 at 12:30 PM with the headline "34-year-old dies of injuries he received while 2 months old, Indiana police say."