I Can’t Breathe - Black and Dead in Custody
Kevin Clark's Death
Kevin Clark, a 35-year-old man with paranoid schizophrenia, died after being restrained by police in Southeast London.
Police were called by Kevin's support team due to concerns about a potential relapse.
Marco Piccini, a witness, described Kevin as someone needing help and not appearing violent or aggressive.
Police officers, arriving on the scene, realized Kevin was having a mental health episode and called for an ambulance.
Footage from body cameras showed the incident unfolding.
An expert analyzed the footage, observing that Kevin seemed to be reaching out for help rather than causing harm.
Professor Leslie Thomas QC, representing Kevin's family, noted that Kevin was not a threat and questioned the officers' decision to restrain him.
The decision to restrain Kevin was described as a fateful one, seemingly based on fear, possibly related to his race as a "big black man."
Officers claimed Kevin became aggressive, which was disputed.
Leg restraints were requested despite Kevin not being aggressive.
Commander Bas Javed of the Metropolitan Police initially suggested Kevin might have harmed himself or others, but later admitted the restraint was inappropriate.
Statistics show that black people are three times more likely to have force used on them compared to white people.
Commander Javed acknowledged racial discrimination, bias, and prejudice exist within the police force as a reflection of society.
Four minutes into the restraint, with up to six officers holding Kevin down, he repeatedly said "I can't breathe" and "You're killing me."
Fifteen minutes into the restraint, officers decided to walk him to the ambulance, with an officer pulling Kevin along using his hood.
Kevin was barely conscious and dying, having been restrained for nineteen minutes.
The action of pulling the hood over Kevin's head was described as disgusting.
A review of deaths in custody a year before Kevin's death highlighted concerns about police stereotyping black people based on perceived size or strength.
Statements from officers often described black individuals as having superhuman strength.
In the UK, black individuals are more than twice as likely as white individuals to die in or following police custody.
The jury delivered a damning narrative verdict, deeply critical of the police and ambulance service. The restraint and making him walk whilst barely conscious had contributed to Kevin's death.
The Metropolitan Police accepted the jury's findings and apologized to Kevin's family.
Sheku Bayo's Death
Sheku Bayo died in police custody in Fife, Scotland, after being detained following an incident.
Bayo had taken drugs (MDMA and flakka) that altered his behavior and made him aggressive.
He was seen with a knife, but CCTV footage showed he no longer had it when police arrived.
Police used force almost immediately, deploying CS spray and batons. Bayo was brought to the ground within 45 seconds.
A witness reported seeing up to six officers kneeling or lying across Bayo.
The cause of death was given as sudden death of a man intoxicated with drugs whilst being restrained. A post mortem revealed 23 separate injuries.
The officers initially refused statements, and the Scottish Police Federation claimed Bayo violently attacked a female officer, Nicole Short.
The statement alleged Bayo chased, punched, kicked, and stamped on PC Short, who believed she was about to be murdered.
Kevin Nelson, a civilian witness, stated that Bayo punched Nicole Short and then ran off, contradicting the claim of a violent stamping attack.
The CCTV footage supports Kevin Nelson's account, showing Nicole Short being knocked down and the action immediately moving away.
Officers Craig Walker and Ashley Tomlinson later described Bayo viciously stamping on Nicole Short, which Kevin Nelson denies.
Nicole Short herself said she was unsure if she was conscious and only heard about the stamping afterward.
Mike Franklin, a former commissioner, noted the serious conflict in the evidence.
The Crown Office in Scotland decided no officer would face criminal charges.
A full public inquiry is now underway.
Police Scotland expressed condolences to the Bayou family and stated they would participate fully in the inquiry.
Key Issues and Themes
Excessive Force: Concerns about the use of excessive force by police in both cases.
Mental Health Crisis: Both men were experiencing mental health crises at the time of their deaths.
Racial Stereotyping: Allegations of racial stereotyping and bias influencing police actions.
Statements describing the men as having superhuman strength.
Disproportionate use of force against black individuals.
Inaccurate Reporting: Concerns about inaccurate or false statements provided by police officers.
Lack of Accountability: Criticisms of the investigation processes and lack of accountability for the officers involved.
Deaths in Custody: Higher likelihood of black individuals dying in or following police custody in the UK.
Need for Change: Calls for real change in police training, perception, and response to black people.
Disgust: Sheku Bayo's sister expressed disgust regarding the false picture painted of Sheku.
Statistical References
Black people are three times more likely to have force used on them by police compared to white people.
Black individuals in the UK are more than twice as likely to die in or following police custody compared to white individuals.
of the officers claimed that if presented with the same situtation again, they would do exactly the same thing.
Ethical and Philosophical Implications
The cases raise ethical questions about police conduct, use of force, and treatment of individuals with mental health issues.
They highlight the importance of accountability and transparency in policing.
The cases underscore the need to address racial bias and discrimination within the criminal justice system.
Formulas
There were no explicit formulas presented in the source material, but the following types of equations could be used to better show what kind of statistics were explored:
Disproportionate Use of Force Ratio:
Mortality Risk Ratio:
Additional Notes
The need for further investigation and accountability in cases involving deaths in police custody, particularly when race and mental health may be factors.