TRENTON — A state grand jury has decided not to file charges against Brick Township police officers in connection with the death of a man following an encounter last year.
The Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday identified the deceased as Robert Gotts, 36, of Brick. Gotts died on May 9, 2024, after officers responded to a report of a man in distress near Wisteria Drive and Vermont Drive.
According to investigators, Brick officers Joseph McGrath, Mark Nixon, and Sgt. Jeffrey Person found Gotts unclothed and acting erratically in the street. He was restrained and moved to a grassy area while emergency medical personnel were called. Gotts was taken to Ocean University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.
The state medical examiner ruled his death an accident caused by drug intoxication.
The case was reviewed by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability under a 2019 state law requiring independent investigations when someone dies during a law enforcement encounter. Evidence — including witness statements, video footage and autopsy results — was presented to the grand jury, which on September 8 voted “no bill,” meaning no criminal charges would be filed.
The Attorney General’s Office released body camera footage of the incident after first showing it to Gotts’ family. The video is available online through the AG’s website.
Officials said the matter could now be referred for internal administrative review in line with the state’s internal affairs procedures.
