A man died as a result of a police intervention on Lidingö in November last year. Now the police are sentenced for causing another person’s death in a sentence unique to Sweden.
– It is very unusual, the usual thing when you judge situations like this is that you acquit the police, says criminologist Leif GW Persson.
The police intervened together with a colleague against the man under the influence of drugs who behaved aggressively and irrationally. In order to gain control of the situation, the police pressed their knee against the man’s back for almost two minutes, while the man was handcuffed. This led to the man’s death as a result of suffocation. But Leif GW Persson believes that the verdict will be appealed.
– It is quite explicit that this gripping technique must not be used, but the usual excuse that is offered is that the situation was such that it happened anyway and that it is humane and justifiable. This person was simply messy beyond reason, says Persson.