Olaseni

Olaseni Lewis

Olaseni Lewis

23-year-old Briton

In September 2010, the officers of the police Department of London, Great Britain, did not provide proper medical care to 23-year-old Olaseni Lewis in time, as a result of which the man died of asphyxia. The officers thought he was faking it and sought medical attention too late.

On September 3, 2010, Lewis went to the hospital. His condition worsened after his parents left and he decided to leave the hospital. However, the medical staff prevented him from leaving, and he, upset that he would have to spend the night in the hospital, hit the door of his room. The doctors did not contact his parents, but instead called the police. Police officers arrived shortly after and handcuffed Lewis ‘ hands and feet, which was contrary to police practice, and the method was later deemed dangerous. Lewis was pinned face first to the bed, then to the floor. During this time, the police hit him three times with a police baton. The man lost consciousness after 20 minutes due to difficulty breathing, and the police decided to leave him in the room, believing that he was faking it. When it was noticed that Lewis had stopped breathing, officers attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but it was too late.

In 2017, the court ruled that the police used excessive force against him, but none of them was held responsible. In March 2021, Lewis ‘ family gave a media comment expressing regret that his death went unpunished.