Jazzman’s Death Questioned by Family

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The New York Sun

NEW ORLEANS – The family of pianist-composer Hilton Ruiz is not convinced that an accidental fall caused his death, their new New Orleans attorney said yesterday.

“Although it is the family’s understanding that the New Orleans Police Department has closed its file in this matter, the family confirms that they continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding his injury and death,” the lawyer, Scott Galante, said.

Mr. Galante said he has not seen the evidence that police showed to Ruiz’s ex-wife and daughter, both named Aida, while Ruiz was still on life support. Attorney Mary Howell, representing them at the time, said then that they had accepted the conclusion reached by police.

Ruiz, 54, of Teaneck, N.J., had come to New Orleans on May 18 to shoot video to go with a planned compact disc to benefit New Orleans, recorded only days before he left the New York area. He was injured on Bourbon Street about 4:30 or 5 a.m. on May 19. Ruiz died on Tuesday.

Neither Mr. Galante nor Ruiz’s ex-wife would comment on a New York Post report about a video shown to the Ruizes by police.


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