Two police officers were cleared of misconduct after a hearing related to the death of Kevin Clarke in Lewisham in 2018
Lewisham: So, here’s the scoop. Two police officers, Danielle Barnes and Elizabeth McAleenan, just got cleared of any wrongdoing after a misconduct hearing. This all goes back to the tragic death of Kevin Clarke back in March 2018.
Kevin, who was 35 and had schizophrenia, was in a tough spot when he was restrained by the officers in Catford. During an inquest, it came out that he told them, “I’m going to die,” right before he lost consciousness. That’s pretty heartbreaking, right?
The officers were accused of not being honest during the inquest in 2020, claiming they didn’t hear him say he couldn’t breathe. But the panel found that they didn’t actually hear him because he was getting more agitated, and his words became hard to understand.
Superintendent Louise Sargent, who oversees policing in Catford, expressed her sympathy for Kevin’s family. She mentioned that the officers were trying to help him and that the situation was chaotic. It’s a tough call, and the panel looked at a lot of body camera footage but couldn’t find proof that Kevin said those exact words.
In the end, they concluded that if he had said something, it would have been unusual for the officers to ignore him, especially since they were trying to manage a serious mental health crisis. It’s a tragic situation all around.
The misconduct hearing came after the Independent Office for Police Conduct reopened the investigation into Kevin’s death following the inquest. It’s a sad reminder of how complex these situations can be.
Pictured top: Kevin Clarke (Picture: The Met)
