An inquest jury concluded that Godrick Osei, a vulnerable Black man, died from heart failure related to acute behavioural disturbance (ABD), drug and alcohol misuse, and PTSD, which was exacerbated by his interactions with police officers. Osei died after being dragged and handcuffed by police in a care home bathroom in Truro, Cornwall, despite calling 999 for help himself. The case highlights concerns about police use of force, particularly against Black individuals in mental health crises.
Black man had medical emergency that deteriorated after altercation with police, jury concludes
UK
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️An inquest jury concluded that Godrick Osei, a vulnerable Black man, died from heart failure related to acute behavioural disturbance (ABD), drug and alcohol misuse, and PTSD, which was exacerbated by his interactions with police officers. Osei died after being dragged and handcuffed by police in a care home bathroom in Truro, Cornwall, despite calling 999 for help himself. The case highlights concerns about police use of force, particularly against Black individuals in mental health crises.
Trending- 1 2012: Church caretaker Thomas Orchard died after police restraint in Exeter.
- 2 3 July 2022: Godrick Osei died after an altercation with police.
- 3 2022: Inquest research reported Black people are seven times more likely to die after police restraint than white people.
- 4 2023: An inquest jury found that prolonged use of a webbing belt may have contributed to Thomas Orchard's death.
- 5 Friday (June 6, 2025): The inquest jury returned a narrative conclusion on Godrick Osei's death.
- The death of Godrick Osei and the jury's finding that police interaction exacerbated his medical emergency.
- Renewed scrutiny and criticism of Devon and Cornwall police's handling of individuals in mental health crisis.
- Highlighting of a broader pattern of disproportionate deaths of Black men after police use of force.
- Calls for police reform and addressing institutional racism within policing.
What: An inquest jury concluded that Godrick Osei's death was caused by heart failure related to acute behavioural disturbance (ABD), drug and alcohol misuse, and PTSD, which was exacerbated by his interactions with police.
When: The inquest jury returned its narrative conclusion on Friday (June 6, 2025). Godrick Osei died in the early hours of 3 July 2022. The Thomas Orchard inquest jury finding was in 2023. Inquest's research on police restraint was reported in 2022.
Where: Truro, Cornwall, England, UK. The Thomas Orchard case occurred in Exeter.
Why: Osei was experiencing ABD, exacerbated by cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, and psychological distress. His condition deteriorated due to the police's use of force (dragging, handcuffing) and their failure to recognize his ABD symptoms, despite him having called 999 for help.
How: Osei, in distress, called 999 and broke into a care home. Police officers forced entry into a bathroom where he was, then dragged him by his collar and handcuffed him. The officers' actions, including their language and failure to identify ABD, contributed to the deterioration of his medical emergency.