By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
CORPORAL Brian Roach testified in the coroner’s court yesterday that he used a “sleeper hold” and not a “choke hold” to restrain Jamie Smith and prevent him from escaping custody.
Roach said he held his right arms “around Smith’s neck” to close off his carotid artery not to shut down his air passage and choke him. He said his marital arts training as well as brief training in the Police Academy enabled him to know the difference.
Smith, 35, died at the Central Detective Unit within two hours of his arrest on suspicion of armed robbery on February 8, 2013.
Four officers from the station, Sergeant Ezra Maycock, Corporal Brian Roach, Corporal Sterling Knowles and Sergeant Keno Smith, have been put on administrative leave.
A pathologist report later concluded that Smith died of asphyxia, an excess of carbon dioxide caused by abnormal breathing.
Acting Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez heads the inquiry. Attorney Christina Galanos represents Smith’s immediate family and lawyers Wayne Munroe and Ian Cargill represent the officers.
Roach testified that he and Sergeant Smith took Jamie to Sergeant Maycock’s office for questioning. He said he left the office after taking Jamie inside.
A few minutes later Roach said he heard loud noises and saw Maycock holding the suspect around his waist. He said he got up from his desk and ran inside their room where he found Jamie kicking and punching Maycock.
Roach said he put his hands around Jamie’s neck to control him and calm him down but Jamie got even more violent when he saw Corporal Knowles come into the office with shackles and handcuffs. He said Corporal Smith was trying to hold Jamie’s legs, while Maycock continued to hold him by the waist and he held him in the sleeper hold.
Roach said he released his grip a few times during the struggle but Jamie was fighting so violently he held on to him for about three to five minutes.
He said eventually Jamie calmed down after he was handcuffed and shackled. He said Jamie then raised his hands and said “I ein gern to jail.” Then his hands fell and he looked dazed.
Roach said Smith checked Jamie’s vitals, but none of the officers performed CPR on him because they were not certified.
When questioned by Mr Galanos, Roach said the sleeper hold is not meant to choke or injure, but rather to subdue. He said he does not know how much force he used because he “cannot gauge” his strength.
Roach said he heard Jamie gasp for breath, but assumed he was out of breath from the struggle because all of the officers were breathing hard.
Galanos asked him if is normal for four officers to restrain one man. “It happens.” Roach replied. “One time it was more than four officers and one man and I got my leg broken. These men can overpower you when they want to escape.”
When asked by Mr Munroe why they didn’t just shoot Jamie to restrain him, Roach said they did not want to kill him. “We still have to save the person’s life,” he said, “even if they are trying to take yours.”
Roach also said he was armed and if Jamie had got hold of his gun, they could have all been dead, plus two more.
The inquest continues on June 21. The pathologist is expected to testify.
Comments
wave 11 years, 6 months ago
Aaaaaaaaa yes the old "Sleeper Hold For Ever" nice job corporal, your cheque is in the mail.
PKMShack 11 years, 6 months ago
what a damn shame of a police dept. are we in a 5th world country or what
positiveinput 11 years, 6 months ago
Definition of Sleeper Hold - Redirected from Carotid Sleeperhold :- A chokehold restraint used to subdue overactive, unruly, violent or inebriated subjects, to prevent them form harming themselves or others. It acts by (1) reducing blood flow to the brain via the carotid arteries and blocking venous return via the jugulars, and (2) bilateral compression of the carotid baroreceptor, causing asystole or marked bradycardia, reduce blood pressure, and syncope; under controlled conditions, noncombative subjects lose consciousness within 6-15 seconds.
So Corporal Roach notice that the sleeper hold and the choke hold is the same thing (e.g. I shot him with my gun - piece - tool - business - pipe) Although they may be different words (phrase), the meaning still ends up to be the same. P. S. notice when the sleeper hold is proformed accurately how quickly the subject passes out.
ohdrap4 11 years, 6 months ago
" He said his marital arts training as well as brief training in the Police Academy enabled him to know the difference."
After many years of marriage, I realize I have not been properly trained. I will ask my pastor if he can teach me this choke hold.
henny 11 years, 6 months ago
I too noticed the "marital arts training"......where are some of these people educated?? Is it what Roach said or is it the reporters mistake?? Whatever happened to proofreading??? I have noticed a LOT of errors in spelling and pronounciation of words in the press.
positiveinput 11 years, 6 months ago
No matter if it was a reporters mistake or not, thats besides the point. A man is dead and fingers are being pointed towards the police, along with this defence move one of the officers choose to use. Remember the testimony by one of the officers stating that the chokehold was proformed for the duration of the struggle which was 3 - 5 minutes. Now the main concern should be that seeing that the officer claimed the chokehold was standard police training, which part of any training allows you to let an individual not receive oxygen for 3 -5 minutes. No training would ever involve stopping an individual from breathing for that long, flush that bowl of sh!t. Police training was thrown out the window and sounds like 'street fighting' or 'mortal combat' came in. And for the police who testified noticing that the chokehold was continued and never had the common sense to tell his fellow officer, "Hey ease up, let this man get some air" he to along with the others involved should be charged with accessory to murder.
Concerned 11 years, 6 months ago
You know... in a civilized nation with properly trained officers, the officers would have used pepper spray or a taser to safely subdue a hostile suspect. But that would require three things: the Bahamas being a civilized nation, officers being properly trained, and officers being supplied with pepper spray and a taser. Every cop and mall cop in America has them. Tactical pepper spray cost $35 and a multi-discharge taser cost $90. It took our police years to evolve to begin carrying guns and not batons, let's see how long it will take for our police to evolve to carry non-lethal weapons. Sadly, resorting to moves seen on WWF Wrestling is not a clear sign that we're evolving.
John 11 years, 6 months ago
They say dead man can't talk but plenty left to witness what goes on in police stations and at cdu. Many young men are walking around with permanent injuries inflicted by police. And many of them were innocent when they were brutalised while in custody. But at least they came out alive. Maybe the force needs to spend more money for training on investigation skills. Beating someone into a confession in 2013? come on !
positiveinput 11 years, 6 months ago
The Queen's rear expensive rabbit had gone missing, so she used her influencial powers and called on the Scottland Yards finest. They carried out their search for weeks and turned up empty handed. She then turn for help from the F.B.I. and after months of searching, nothing. Losing hope The Queen was told by one of her loyal subjects about the Royal Bahamas Police Force whom were contacted and sent out their finest detectives. Arriving at the castle the policemen asked the Queen what was her problem and after being told went directly to the nearby bushes that surrounded the castle. Within a brief moment a loud growl was heard followed by screams of pain. The Queen gasp "oh dear I pray those men are ok and within minutes the officers emerged from the bushes. The Queen asked whats the meaning of bring this beast into my yard. One officer turned to the animal balling his fist and said speak boy. The beast replied in a soft scared voice, "I'm your rabbit maam".
TheObjectiveVoice 11 years, 6 months ago
Nobody is talking about how this fella (Jamie) was attacking the police though and trying to escape police custody... We have to weigh both sides of this story objectively. There is so much compassion for the CRIMINALS...suspects in police custody. Please Read the Tribune's headline story today about the Tourist who got killed by some armed robbers who were trying to mug a woman on Saturday. The police have a right to defend themselves too and to protect USSS..the community - from these bastards. Maybe that cop should have let that guy walk right out the door for him to come out and rob somebody-else.. maybe shoot them this time. The fella told the police, " I ain gern back to jail", not "I did not do this. I'm not guilty." People, please....The police realizes that a situation like that is dangerous. We don't have to go through it every day and so we are desensitized to their plight....but it's them against the criminals each and every day and criminals have proven that they have no conscience. Someone's life is always on the line. That's the real picture. If you don't want to be in a situation where the police has to fight with you, stay out of trouble and keep your nose clean.
positiveinput 11 years, 6 months ago
You're right about the comments not being about the SUSPECT (NOT CRIMINAL, S U S P E C T) trying to escape because my friend the concern is for the lost of human life while in police custody. Besides the officers who are in court for the death of the individual, who else heard him say "I ain gern back to jail". Nobody, or better yet lets ask him what exactly he said - shoots - dead man tell no tale. To read the Tribune's headline story has no relevance to Jamie Smith dying in police custody cause if he was interviewed properly and still alive, that incident would have still happen. Lets just say he (jamie) did in fact said those words and tried to escape custody. Who is to say that his actions wasn't a result of his life being in fear prior by the officers. The officers described him as a brutal beast, but this 'beast' walked around freely. Ever wonder why at a circus the lions and tigers are keeped in cages even during their show. Answer - the trainer knows full-well the nature of a 'beast'. To be allowed in an office in a police station with no type restraints (hand cuff/shackels) one could never have been regarded as 'a beast' Trouble as you put it doesn't care who, what, when, where or why and in this case the trouble seems to be wearing a government uniform.
Concerned 11 years, 6 months ago
And let me guess.... you really believe the story that he was "attacking" them.
justthefactsplease 11 years, 6 months ago
It would be interesting to see your view were your family member picked up by police and killed while in custody because THEY say he was trying to esccape. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?? Essentially, they killed an innocent man ... no different from them killing you or me.
TheObjectiveVoice 11 years, 6 months ago
And let me guess, you believe the police went to work that day with the intent of killing a somebody? "Let's just kill somebody today... and I don't wan' shoot no-one, I ga just choke him to death...Eenie Meenie Minie Mo..."
positiveinput 11 years, 6 months ago
The officers generally may not have went to work that day with that intention, but Officer Roach sure seem eager to try out his long awaited 'move' (chokehold). Roach himself testified that - he held his arms around Smith's neck to close off his carotid artery... and also testified that he doesn't know how much force he used cause he cannot gauge his own strength. Now by Roach knowing full well what artery he was targeting to shut down, keeping the hold on for the time given 3 - 5 minutes, if he wasn't trying to kill (Jamie Smith) him, he sure was attempting to make him brain dead due to lack of oxygen the the CAROTID ARTERY is to deliver. Then Officer Roach proudly states that he cannot gauge his own strength, so when he claims he released his grip a few times all he was probably doing is relaxing his 'grip' a little, but because to much pressure was already being applied, even with his grip 'eased', there was no blood flow. That wasn't no standard police training, for sure that particular officer was playing with Jamie Smiths life and in every game someone comes out loosing.
justthefactsplease 11 years, 6 months ago
Here is a little something I copied from "Human Kenetics" By John Perkins, Al Ridenhour, and Matt Kovsky accredtied as an excerpt from Attack Proof, Second Edition... it might educate the police. The sleeper hold, also known as the mugger’s yoke or carotid choke, has been outlawed by most police departments because, although intended only to induce unconsciousness, the carotid arteries of some people will not reopen once the hold is released. We advise extreme caution when practicing this hold
Daniela 10 years ago
I think that this subject is quite sensitive to debate but but I agree with the fact that in a civilized nation with properly trained officers, the officers would have used other instruments to safely subdue a hostile suspect.http://cosuricadoupaste.tumblr.com/">Thanks
Katerina 10 years ago
Indeed, I think this story isn't good for the police authority and for the citizens too. Even if he is a dangerous suspect he has to be treat according to human rights, although the angry he is causing because after this kind of incident that cop may be badly judged. I http://trataremonturi.wordpress.com/">agree with the fact that is a disputed subject.
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