Jason Pearce

Family appeal for care of vulnerable detainees

Elaboración propia a partir de diversas fuentes
publicado: 4WardEver Reino Unido - agosto 2011
Todas las actualizaciones de noticias sobre este caso, se incluirán al pie de este artículo

The family of Shropshire man Jason Pearce who died in police custody showing signs of a rare medical phenomenon known as “excited delirium” warned more people could die being detained unless more is known about the condition.

The Pearce family statement:

Jason Pearce’s Uncle Dennis Pearce, de Wellington, dijo: "En nombre de la familia, Deseo hacer la siguiente declaración después de la investigación sobre la muerte trágica de Jason Pearce en junio 5 2010.

"Somos plenamente conscientes de que la toxicidad de los medicamentos tuvo un papel clave en la muerte de Jason, y que entiende y reconoce que Jason optó por tomar drogas en ese fatídico día cuando llegó a Market Drayton.

“As a family we have never attempted to defend such action as people must take responsibility for their actions in life.

“It is, sin embargo, regrettable that society generally views drug taking in a far more judgmental and intolerant way than, for instance, smoking and alcohol abuse.

“In our view, it is a feature of such intolerance that authorities and so called ‘experts’ either dismiss or ignore the associated risks with potential life threatening scenarios such as excited delirium.

“Home Office pathologists could not assess whether Jason died due to drug toxicity alone or excited delirium brought on by drug intake.

“For that reason, we do not oppose the cause of death as notified by the proceedings.

“It was, is and always will be the view of the family that more could have been done to prevent Jason’s death, whether that be through proper recognition of the symptoms and potential life threatening effect of a potential excited delirium scenario and/or speedier action to summon medical assistance.

“West Mercia Police have recognised the failings in their training in the matter of excited delirium and there was clear dispute within that organisation as to whether attending officers had or hadn’t received the requisite training.

“The operations training manager agreed, under cross examination, that their training was ‘sub-optimal’.

“Our view is that proposed changes in training with regard to excited delirium will not prevent further tragedies.

“It is a matter of great sadness and concern to the family that matters of inadequate training and associated response were undermined by a clear lack of knowledge of excited delirium.

“In the view of the family, this was never better illustrated than by uncorroborated evidence that there is no medical treatment and that death is inevitable in excited delirium scenarios.

“We view that such evidence was deeply influential and damaging but crucially ill-informed and misguided.

“We further view that if such beliefs continue to prevail and are allowed to influence thinking, more deaths will ensue.

“In 2009, Kevin Huish, Police Federation of England and Wales lead on custody matters, wrote a paper called ‘Hidden Dangers’ on the matter of excited delirium.

“He wrote that ‘the reality is that excited delirium is a serious condition that requires immediate medical intervention in order to save the subject’s life’ further adding that ‘we may probably have had some deaths where excited delirium could be suspected and be a major contributing factor but there are real difficulties in knowing for sure. This is mainly due to a lack of knowledge, understanding and even existence of excited delirium within the British medical profession’.

“Kevin Huish further produced a conference report having attended a sudden death and excited delirium in custody death conference and wrote that ‘there is clear lack of knowledge, experience, acceptance and understanding of excited delirium in policing and medical circles within the UK’.

“Sadly, it seems from the evidence heard during the inquest, there has been no major advance on this matter. “He also cited the acceptance of excited delirium by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) as ‘a major step forward’.

“The ACEP have written that an estimated eight to 14 per cent of patients who experience excited delirium have died therefore indicating a survival rate of between 86 y 92 per cent.

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