In November 20, the Crown give Prosecution Service announced that no my police officer involved in the death of Roger Sylvester is to face criminal charges. An inquest sitting with a jury will now be held early next CaL.
This is the latest in a long series of blows dealt by the establishment the Sylvester family since did, Roger's death in Janaury 1999.
Several hundred activists answered the call of the family to pIckel Tottenham police station to demand justice for Roger. The lively and noisy DICKEL was addressed not only by members of the Sylvester family, but also by Myrna Simpson, He mother of Joy Gardener, and Kwesi Menson, brother of Michael Menson.
was dead. from Harringey Socialist Alliance, including White Hart Lane by-election candidate Gary police McFarlane had a high profile.
Commenting on the CPS decision Sheila Sylvester, him mother of Roger, said:
"This shocking decision comes as no surprise to my in family. We have continually voiced our dissatisfaction with the investigation process. which we belleve, was based on selective information. The only public investigation will now be the inquest.
"At the inquest officers will once again be able to remain silent, as the Coroner will tell them they do not have to that may incriminate themselves.
"It is nearly two years since beloved son mel death while being restrained by police officers, and I am no closer to finding out the truth about how he died. There is something shameful about a system where when people die in custody their custodians never give proper account of what they and the svstem is not his own geared towards making anyone properly accountable."
January police or anybody else. 1999, Roger Sylvester, Veal old black man, was restrained outside his home by eight police officers, from Tottenham Police Station.
sustained injuries and was later in a coma on a life support system. Seven days later, Roger ignated room On the night of 11 January sometime after 9.30pm arrived outside minutes Rog's houses a results seen by a doctor. officers attended initially and found naked in his front garden. Within minutes another six officers had arrived and total eight officers brought Roger Sylvester to the ground, handcuffed and restrained him.
Roger had suffered from had mental health problems in years had been well. He was the past, but for the last two Colla at purportedly detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act.
seven days later. The case Complaints Rureau approved Complaints over the many Police officers told his fam- The investigation took ten MonTos. It was investigation to take place following the publication of the Macpherson inquiry into the death of that Roger was not aggres- Lawrence, in which greater liaison and openness families was encouraged. to al least one willess. with Essex Police, the PCA and family members, where he was solicitor and However the family, their lawyers and before being found these meetings unsatWhile the isfactory: they felt like a public relations exercise and the information was minimal, often partial. went limp and collapsed. It became clear that the The officers, police spend hundreds of person medical staff, hours investigating Roger's to resusci- personal life rather than the tate him but he circumstances of his death sustained numerous Sheila Sylvester mented: "The investigation the Whit- has not centred behaviour of the eight officers who laid hands on my son that fateful night. Their actions were not investigated was initially with the thoroughness and rigour that would have been Investigation the case had they been civilbe held in the New Year into the first Roger's death at which the family have no automatic right to representation though with the support of Stephen INQUEST they will fighting for exceptional legal with aid. At an inquest, police officers can also refuse to here were regular answer any question 'but unsatisfactory might incriminate them meetings during In the recent inquest into the course of the the death of Christopher Alder at Hull police station, investigation for example, police officers exercised the same right of their INQUEST. silence to avoid giving a full account of what happened. INQUEST he 1l involved Roger's involved being supplied removed operational duties, but have never been suspended. This preferred instead to is yet another insult to the Sylvester family and Roger's memory. The Lawrence report noted in relation to deaths in custody "We are comclear that this issue is outside our terms of reference, but on the we cannot fail to record the depth of feelings expressed. There is a need to address the perceptions and concerns of the minority ethnic now communities in this regard.
"Such an Issue if BIOL addressed helps only to damage the relationship between police and public, and in its wake there is an atmosphere be which hinders the investigation of racist incidents and crime." The Justice for Roger that Sylvester demands: • Police officers involved in custody deaths are suspended until investigations are completed. • Officers responsible for deaths should face criminal charges even if retired or officers otherwise.
in • All deaths in custody death should be investigated indewere pendently. from Police Complaints Authority (PCA) to be replaced by a body independent of the police.
to • Police forces are made accountable to the communiInquiry ties they serve.
• Legal aid and full disclosure should be made available to the relatives of the victim(s). •Where an unlawful killing verdict is returned, a prosecution should follow automatically. Asylum voucher review: