Black in an insane rage in a British hospital ward died after police handcuffed and restrained him

Police will never be good at dealing with insane behavior.  They are not psychiatrists

A lung cancer patient died after being handcuffed face down on a hospital floor when he became aggressive - prompting a senior coroner to call for a national review of police use of restraints.

Philmore Mills' case was described as 'the deeply disturbing death of a 57-year-old black man' by his family, who heard an inquest jury find that the restraint contributed to his death.

Nurses 'panicked' and did not communicate with police over the condition of Mr Mills, who later died in the early hours of December 27 2011 at Wexham Park Hospital, Slough.

His family were present throughout the four-week inquest into his death, during which they heard how he approached nurses not wearing his oxygen mask and began 'suddenly screaming'.

Security guards were first called, but given 'minimal direction' by clinical staff, before a decision was made to alert police.

Two policemen were already in the hospital dealing with another matter, an inquest heard.

Mr Mills was subsequently placed into the prone position, face to the floor, in a process lasting less than one minute, the inquest heard. Moving him back to his bed took less than 30 seconds.

The jury found there was 'inadequate' communication between the officers and Mr Mills and no discussion between police and nursing staff on a course of action following his restraint.

The inquest marks an end to a four-year campaign by Mr Mills's family to find out what happened to the father-of-four.

A narrative verdict was read out by jurors, who confirmed the medical cause of death to be cardiorespiratory collapse, hypoxia and severe lung and heart disease in association with restraint.

During the inquest in Reading, Berkshire, Coroner Peter Bedford said: 'While in intensive care, tests revealed he had lung cancer. A tumour was found to be the size of an apple. He was clearly very unwell.  'Treatment included wearing an oxygen mask,' said the coroner.

'On December 27, at around 2.15am, Mr Mills became suddenly physically and verbally adversarial.

'Nurses called security and a doctor to attend Ward Nine. Two security guards entered where he was but felt unable to deal with Mr Mills. They withdrew and asked nurses to call the police.

'Coincidentally two policemen were already in the hospital dealing with another matter. The officers entered and withdrew too.

'Nurses, security staff and police all described him as aggressive, trying to throw his oxygen mask at them and waving a catheter at them, spraying urine.

'The two police and the security men re-entered his area with a police blanket. They wrapped him in the blanket and lowered him onto the floor.

'He was handcuffed then picked up and transferred to the bed where the crash team tried to revive him and give him oxygen. At 3am his life is declared extinct.'

It marks the end of a four-year campaign by Mr Mills's family to find out what happened to the father-of-four

Thames Valley Police confirmed the force would now review the way officers are taught to restrain people in relation to the findings of the month-long inquest.

'Police officers are required to apply restraint tactics in a number of diverse situations, and communication is essential to the safety of all involved.

Original report here


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