Kevin Clarke, a 30 year old black man, died following restraint by Metropolitan Police officers in Lewisham, South London, on 9 March 2018. Clarke was in a mental health crisis when he encountered and was ultimately restrained by police. The Metropolitan police officers then report he ‘became unwell’ and was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The inquest into Clarke’s death opens on 7 September 2020 and will be available to view via a pre-booked video link. It will examine the actions of police, and whether these contributed to or caused his death. The death comes in the broader context of the disproportionate use of force against black men, and the well known risks of restraint highlighted in recommendations arising from previous deaths.
The family describe Kevin Clarke as a loving, trustworthy, charismatic person who was seen by many as a gentle giant. He was described as athletic and community-minded. He supported many young people in his local area, particularly through sport. He aspired to become a football coach. Clarke was diagnosed with schizophrenia with paranoia. He was in assisted living at the time of his death, and had previously experienced mental health crises which led to detention under the Mental Health Act.
Wendy Clarke, Kevin Clarke's mother, said on behalf of the family: “Kevin’s death has been devastating for his family and friends. We need a detailed and accurate account of the circumstances of his death including the use of force, medical emergency assessment and response. We hope that this inquest will provide us with answers we and the community need.”
Anita Sharma, Head of Casework at INQUEST, said: “At a time of national and international focus on race and policing, it is vital this inquest allows for the utmost scrutiny of the circumstances of Kevin’s death. Too many black men have died following use of force by police in the UK, while successive reviews show our criminal justice and mental health systems fail black and minoritised people.”
Analysis of available data by INQUEST shows the proportion of deaths in police custody of people from Black and Minority Ethnic groups where restraint is a feature is over two times greater than in other deaths in custody.
* More information on race and deaths in custody is available here
* INQUEST https://www.inquest.org.uk/
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