Police believed Aboriginal man was faking a medical episode before his death in custody, court hears

An inquest into the death of an Aboriginal man in custody has heard the police officer who arrested him believed he was faking a medical episode in response to being arrested.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following article contains the name of a person who has died. Permission has been granted by the family to use the man’s surname.

Mr Reid, 50, died about an hour after being arrested for an alleged domestic aggravated assault at his Parafield Gardens home in May 2017.

The mandatory inquest into his death began in the South Australian Coroner’s Court today.

The inquest heard SA Police (SAPOL) officers arrived at the property about 2:38am, with Mr Reid placed under arrest about 2:47am.

Council assisting Sally Giles told the inquest one of the officers who arrested Mr Reid, Senior Constable Mark Brookes, requested an ambulance at 2:54am, and said “the arrested person has decided to feign consciousness”.

The first SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) paramedic arrived on scene at 3:07am, when Mr Reid was in cardiac arrest and CPR was being performed by the SAPOL officers.

SAAS continued with CPR, including the use of a defibrillator, until 3:57am, at which time Mr Reid was declared dead.

His cause of death was declared as ischemic heart disease.

Mr Reid was on several medications for heart conditions however, it is believed he had not been taking his medication in the lead up to his death.

Counsel for the family, Jane Powell, said Mr Reid’s family had identified three main concerns.

“One, the use of force against Mr Reid before his arrest, then two, the responsiveness of police to his medical emergency,” Ms Powell said.

“And three, the treatment of Mr Reid’s body after he died, in particular, the failure to cover or otherwise to shield his view from others.”

Officer ‘thought it was a ploy to get away’

In their statements, the family said Senior Constable Brookes appeared to apply a restraint to Mr Reid’s neck when he was being arrested.

They also said they had told police about Mr Reid’s medical condition, and that he required GTN spray for his coronary artery disease.

Senior Constable Brookes told the inquest he did not apply force on the man’s neck during the arrest.

“I thought he was just being difficult.”

Senior Constable Brookes said he does not remember anyone at the house talking about Mr Reid having a heart condition but did remember a family member saying that he had asthma, or he had a puffer.

He said he did not remember being told about the GTN spray until CPR was being administered.