By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
JAMIE SMITH, also known as Matthew Pratt, was put in a ‘“choke hold” during a “violent” altercation with police minutes before he died, the Coroners Court heard yesterday.
Sergeant Ezra Maycock testified that while he and Sergeant Keno Smith were questioning Jamie Smith about an armed robbery and attempted armed robbery, he became increasingly angry and attempted to escape.
Mr Maycock said Pratt was so violent that it took four officers to restrain and subdue him.
Smith, 35, died at the Central Detective Unit within two hours of his arrest on suspicion of armed robbery on February 8, 2013.
Four officers from the station, Sergeant Ezra Maycock, Corporal Brian Roach, Corporal Sterling Knowles and Sergeant Keno Smith, have been placed on administrative leave.
A pathologist report later concluded that Smith died of asphyxia, an excess of carbon dioxide caused by abnormal breathing.
Acting Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez oversees the inquiry. Attorney Christina Galanos represents Smith’s immediate family and lawyers Wayne Munroe and Ian Cargill represent the officers.
Mr Maycock said he sent for Jamie to be brought to his office by Sergeant Smith and Corporal Roach, to question him about an armed robbery and to show him a surveillance tape.
During the interview, Sergeant Smith said Jamie was very cooperative and told them how he was involved in the robbery. However, Maycock said when he asked Sergeant Smith to fingerprint Jamie and collect DNA evidence, he got very angry and said :” F this, I ein going to jail for these n*s who trying to blame everything on me.” He said Jamie then ran toward the exit.
At this point, Maycock said he grabbed Jamie by the waist to stop him from leaving and Sergeant Smith was attempting to hold his legs. He said he then screamed for someone to bring him some handcuffs and Knowles came running with the handcuffs along with shackles.
He said Roach also came back into the office and attempted to subdue Jamie who was “kicking and punching and throwing his body about.”
Maycock said Roach placed Jamie in a ”choke hold” to try and calm him down. He testified that this is a standard police position used to subdue unruly suspects.
Maycock said he was still holding Jamie by the waist, while Knowles tried to place handcuffs on him and Roach continued to hold him in a carotid sleeper hold.
Maycock said they all fell to the floor during the struggle and Knowles was finally able to handcuff Jamie and shackle his feet.
He said Jamie then pulled himself up off the floor, leaned against a chair in the office, held his hand to his face for a few seconds and then became unconscious.
Maycock said Sergeant Smith checked for a pulse on Jamie while he went to report the incident to his supervisor and contact EMS.
Sergeant Knowles testified that while attempting to shackle Jaime, he noticed “he was breathing funny.”
He said Roach held Jamie in a choke hold for “the duration of the struggle” which he estimated lasted for about three to five minutes.
The officers both denied hitting, threatening or punching Jamie. However, they both admitted that the abrasions on Jamie’s face could have been caused by the struggle.
The officers also testified that no one attempted CPR on Jamie because they were not CPR certified.
When asked by Ms Galanos why it took four men to subdue one man, Knowles said Jamie was a “brutally, beastly suspect.”
Mr Munroe asked Knowles why they didn’t shoot Jamie and he said: “We were trying to control him not kill him.”
The inquest continues at 11am today. Sergeant Roach is expected to testify.
Comments
spoitier 10 years, 11 months ago
This story is so unbelievable, even in the slightest event that he is telling the truth, they all should be put in jail for stupidity.
lazybor 10 years, 11 months ago
it sounds like a crime movie scene...
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proudloudandfnm 10 years, 11 months ago
Time for our top cop to get real now. No more politics. Deal with this ignorant practice of beating suspects now.
positiveinput 10 years, 11 months ago
... "choke hold" = standard police position Certified in CPR = optional to learn
lmfao
positiveinput 10 years, 11 months ago
On a serious note, Wikipedia describes "Choke Hold" as - A chokehold/stranlehold is a general term for grappling hold that critically reduces or prevents either air (choking) or blood (strangling) from passing through the neck of an opponent. The restriction may be of one or both and depends on the hold used and the reaction of the victim, the lack of blood or air may lead to unconsciousness or even death if the hold is maintained.
Now seeing that the victim is dead, one could say the hold was maintained, therefore if when learning this particular 'defence' position, all the victims leave in a body bag, one could also say that the position used is a standard police position. Remember in the definition what could happen if the hold is maintained, and notice Maycock testimony, "Roach placed Jamie in a "chokehold"...Maycock said he was still holding Jamie by the waist, whiles Knowles tried to placed the handcuffs on him and Roach CONTINUED to hold him in a carotid sleeper hold... the chokehold was hold for the duration of the struggle which lasted about 3 to 5 minutes. I'm not a doctor but how long does it take the human body organs to malfunction due to the lack of oxygen. Now how long will it take if the body is struggling, using up the limited air it already had before the chokehold was introduced.
SP 10 years, 11 months ago
Total poppycock, balderdash and malarkey! The police are the biggest organized crime syndicate in the Bahamas.
Officers are properly trained in restraining individuals. Any one of these officers could have easily subdued Mr. Smith in several ways using basic techniques and stop holds taught every officer at the college.
Police are well known for ganging up on people and beating them into unconsciousness just for fun. Case in point is the incident at the airport last week where an innocent Bahamian was beaten unconscious by officers for no valid reason.
I personally know of individuals that were also beaten unconscious in police station cells for frivolous reasons. Why would several officers need to enter a cell and beat a person to unconsciousness?
Sergeant Ezra Maycock, Corporal Brian Roach, Corporal Sterling Knowles and Sergeant Keno Smith are guilty of murder and must be charged accordingly.
Commissioner Greenslade is no better than these thugs; he is acting surprised as if he just reach on the last Haitian boat. Truth is he came up through the ranks and is fully aware of tactics used by his colleagues just as every Bahamian is also aware. This is nothing new!
Mr. Wayne Munroe must see to it these animals are charged with murder and punished to the fullest extent of the law.
This police brutality stupidity must stop!
tonymontana 10 years, 11 months ago
The guy is in a struggle with four police men , they hand cuff him, he then sits up puts his hand to his face, then dies, wow. if the jury believe this I have some prime property in queens cove for sale. standard police procedure , violent prisoners are handcuffed from the back, these guys are going direct to jail.
concernedcitizen 10 years, 11 months ago
we our a violent people ,that are taught force is an acceptable way of conflict resolution since we are children ..we yukk and grab and slap children in the face in anger as a form of disipline ,when really it is the adult that has lost control ,,our police did not come from mars they our us ,,as pogo said "i have seen the enemy and it is us "
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