This talk, given the full title of “Is this police brutality? – Insights from an inquest following the death of a man in custody,” was a true case of a man dying shortly after being admitted to hospital, following an incident where police had subdued him by using tasers. Those attending the talk were invited to assume the role of a “jury” in deciding whether the action of police officers had contributed to his death.
Prof Channer began by providing some background to the man, to whom he referred as Glen. The person in question had suffered a troubled childhood in Hull, compounded by his dislike of school. However, he found he enjoyed boxing and began using anabolic steroids. Then, working as a bouncer in a nightclub, he started to use street drugs regularly. Some time later, whilst living in a flat in Scarborough, the tenant below him found water coming through her ceiling and went to investigate. She found Glen in a highly agitated state, having ripped off the toilet cistern, causing water to flood his flat.
The police were called and, on attending, were confronted by Glen in an extremely agitated condition, with fists clenched and a contorted facial expression. He threw his television against the wall and approached the two police officers aggressively, at which point, in an attempt to subdue him, he was tasered and pepper sprayed. Neither of these appeared to have an effect, so the police officers fired their tasers simultaneously and he collapsed to the floor. In the ensuing struggle to restrain him, Glen presented classic symptoms of opisthotonus, an uncontrolled, reflex muscle movement resulting in an abnormally arched back, accompanied with rigidity throughout the neck and body. He was taken to hospital, but died approximately 80 minutes after being admitted,
Several witnesses were called to the inquest, including the deceased’s family, police, a Home Office pathologist, a toxicologist and, also Prof. Channer, an eminent cardiologist with experience in medico-legal work. The post mortem showed that, although Glen’s heart was enlarged, as a result of anabolic steroid misuse, it was structurally normal. However, toxicology reports showed dehydration and high levels of testosterone, amphetamines and MDPV stimulant, a highly potent and dangerous drug, all of which, in combination, can produce euphoria and psychotic reactions. In addition, Glen had low blood glucose, high white cell counts, high blood acidity and muscle damage, causing acute kidney failure, all of which can be attributed to drug misuse.
Questions and responses at the inquest included:
1. Could use of tasers and restraints have increased stimulant levels in the body? The Home Office pathologist thought that it could, but this was contradicted by the toxicologist and
Prof Channer, who suggested that, in such an agitated state, the application of tasers and restraints would not be any more likely to do so than other forms of confrontation.
2. Could use of tasers cause death? Considering the opinions of expert witnesses, the inquest thought not.
3. Could the struggle against arrest have been a contributory factor? No
4. Was the use of taser justified? Yes
5. Was overall use (of both tasers) justified? Yes
6. What was the cause of death? Drug abuse, which made Glen extremely ill.
Notwithstanding his admission to hospital, in his perilous condition, it was considered that he would have died at home.
The meeting agreed almost unanimously with the inquest’s findings.