Death of Sheku Bayoh

Sheku Ahmed Tejan Bayoh (30 September 1983 – 3 May 2015) died after being restrained by police in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. His death sparked controversy, and an independent government inquiry following a police investigation.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Life

Bayoh was born in Sierra Leone.[3][7] In 1995 he fled to the United Kingdom as an unaccompanied child to escape civil war in Sierra Leone.[7] After living in London for five years, he moved to Fife, Scotland at the invitation of his sister, who had lived there since the 1990s.[7] At the time of his death, Bayoh was training to be a gas engineer.[7][8] He was a father to two sons.[9][6]

Death

On the morning of 3 May 2015, Bayoh visited a friend's house to watch a boxing match on TV.[7][10] His friends noticed he was acting out of character, which he acknowledged before volunteering to leave the gathering.[7][10] Bayoh then went to his home, where he got a knife and went into the street with it.[6][10][7][11] Concerned neighbours called emergency services to report a black man with a knife acting erratically, and police were dispatched.[6][7][12][13] A number of Police Scotland Constables including Ashley Tomlinson, Alan Paton, Craig Walker and Nicole Short arrived at the scene where they confronted Bayoh, who was now unarmed, with shouts, pepper spray, and batons before taking him to the ground and cuffing his wrists and ankles.[3][4][7][13][14][15] Bayoh lost consciousness soon after being restrained and police were unable to resuscitate him at the scene; he was pronounced dead in hospital later that morning.[7][15][3] A post-mortem report revealed injuries to Bayoh's face, bruising across his body, a fractured rib, and the presence of the street drugs MDMA and Flakka.[16][3][17] His cause of death was recorded as 'sudden death in a man intoxicated…[drugs] whilst under restraint.[14][18]

Investigations

Police investigation

In the hours following his hospitalisation, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Bayoh's death.[19] After 16 months, the PIRC submitted its investigation report to the Lord Advocate James Wolffe for review.[3][20] In October 2018, the Lord Advocate gave his decision that no criminal, corporate or health and safety charges would be brought against the police involved. In December 2018, Bayoh's family requested a review of the decision after CCTV and mobile phone footage emerged of his encounter with police, which the family felt contradicted police accounts of events.[21][22][18] The Lord Advocate upheld his previous decision stating that based on the evidence available, there would be no criminal proceedings against the police.[23][20][24]

Independent public inquiry

In November 2019, the Scottish Government's Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf established an independent public inquiry into Sheku Bayoh's death.[2][4][25] Judge Lord Bracadale was appointed as the Inquiry Chairman in January 2020.[11] In May 2020, Yousaf announced the Terms of Reference of the Public Inquiry include establishing the circumstances of Bayoh's death; recommendations that might prevent similar deaths in the future; examination of investigation procedures excluding the Lord Advocate's investigation; whether events surrounding Bayoh's death and actions of the police were influenced by his 'actual or perceived race.' [24][26][27]

References
  1. Alex, Michael; er. "EXCLUSIVE: Family of Fife man Sheku Bayoh filled with 'untold pain' by the death of George Floyd in the USA". The Courier. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  2. "Inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh - gov.scot". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  3. "Family of Sheku Bayoh devastated after Lord Advocate decision not to prosecute police following his death". Inquest. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  4. "Sheku Bayoh death: Public inquiry will be held into death in custody of Fife man". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  5. "Ministerial statement on Sheku Bayoh". Scottish Government News. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  6. Perry, Liam Turbett, Photos: Andrew (9 June 2015). "The Family of a Man Who Died in the Custody of Scottish Police Marched for Justice on Sunday". Vice. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  7. Daly, Mark; McKay, Calum (19 June 2020). "'Why did my brother die in police custody?'". BBC News. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  8. "Sheku Bayoh 'may have asphyxiated after being held down by police'". the Guardian. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  9. Vesty, Sarah (5 May 2015). "Mum of Sheku Bayoh's kids pays moving tribute to tragic ex-partner on Facebook". dailyrecord. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  10. McKenna, Kevin (16 November 2019). "'Our brother shouldn't have died like this,' say Sheku Bayoh's family". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  11. "Former judge to head Sheku Bayoh death inquiry". BBC News. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  12. Soussi, Alasdair. "Sheku Bayoh: The death of a black man in Scottish police custody". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  13. "Opinion of Lord Woolman in the Petitions of PC Nicole Short and PC Alan Paton against decisions of the Scottish Police Authority refusing to allow them to retire on medical grounds" (PDF). Scottish Courts and Tribunals. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  14. "New evidence uncovered in Sheku Bayoh custody death case". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  15. correspondent, Severin Carrell Scotland (21 May 2015). "CS and pepper sprays used in arrest of man who died, says lawyer". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  16. "Bayoh family 'devastated' over no charges". BBC News. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  17. Warrender, Claire. "Sheku Bayoh: Death certificate confirms presence of "zombie drug" flakka". The Courier. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  18. Daly, Mark; McKay, Calum (17 December 2018). "Fresh questions over police custody death". BBC News. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  19. "Custody death police offer statements". BBC News. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  20. "Lord Advocate confirms decision not to bring charges against Police Scotland officers involved death of Sheku Bayoh". Inquest. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  21. editor, Severin Carrell Scotland (18 December 2018). "Sheku Bayoh: calls for inquiry after new CCTV of arrest emerges". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 July 2020.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  22. "Sheku Bayoh death: Public inquiry will be held into death in custody of Fife man". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  23. "Sheku Bayoh: calls for inquiry after new CCTV of arrest emerges". the Guardian. 18 December 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  24. "Ministerial statement on Sheku Bayoh". Scottish Government News. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  25. "Sheku Bayoh: 12 Nov 2019: Scottish Parliament debates". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  26. "Public inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh- Terms of Reference" (PDF). Scottish Parliament.
  27. Office, Chamber (27 March 2019). "Motions, Questions and Answers Search". www.parliament.scot. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
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