The police were called to Råsunda in Solna, north of Stockholm, early in the morning on June 3 last year.
The public then stated that a naked man was offensive and throwing stones. He also lashed out at people and vehicles.
When the first patrol, with two police officers, arrived at the scene and was about to intervene against the aggressive man, a commotion arose. One of the police officers was injured and the assaulting man was killed. He was taken to hospital by ambulance but was later pronounced dead.
One of the officers, the same one who was injured, was charged with causing the man’s death. This after, according to the prosecutor, having grabbed the man’s throat and neck and pressed down on his chest for such a long time that he suffered cardiac arrest from lack of oxygen.
Legal experts disagree
On Wednesday, the Solna district court announced its verdict. The policeman was acquitted of causing the death of another and misconduct.
The court believes that it has not been proven that it was the policeman’s actions that caused the cardiac arrest. Two different experts have made different assessments about what may have contributed to the death. The court therefore does not consider that the police can be found guilty.
“The use of force that occurred (…) is considered to have been justified. The prosecution for misconduct must therefore also be dismissed,” the district court further writes in its judgment.