The case of Michael Sabbie - disturbing video of death in a prison

This man repeatedly tells the guards "Please...I can't breathe!" even from the first moment upon being approached.
Please watch.
SOME MAY FIND THE SCENES A LITTLE UPSETTING.

What a catalogue of errors.
No one should be treated like that, he wasn't resisting at any point, he was having trouble breathing and probably panicking...the way several huge police officers piled on top of him was totally unneccessary.
A Dr should have been called immediately to determine whether he needed hospital, which he obviously did.
Instead he was left alone in a cell where he died, alone....that's horrible.

Syl I actually felt sick watching that and I couldn't believe my eyes. Sabbie wasn't, at any point, resisting anyone. The first thing he said was "I can't breathe" and that's all he repeated the whole time.

I'd like to know what Quill, 4ever and Rags think.

The job of a cop is not easy. They put themselves in harm's way, for the safety of the community. It's damn hard trying to subdue a struggling person. To be able to do this safely, special training and techniques are needed and must be of a high standard.

If you fall short of that standard (by resorting to brute force) you will kill the person, and this happens all too often.

It was very hard to watch...and knowing the poor man died made it worse.

Jules, you are right, a cops job isn't easy, it's dangerous and anyone can turn violent unexpectedly, so obviously they have to be on their guard. Having said that, the way those cops piled onto an unarmed man who was trying to comply to their orders, and was obviously having serious health issues.....and then even when he was on the floor helpless, they sprayed him with some chemical that would have made his breathing even harder.....it was unforgivable.

Jules whilst I agree, this man wasn't showing any signs of violence or aggression.

eddie wrote:This man repeatedly tells the guards "Please...I can't breathe!" even from the first moment upon being approached.
Please watch.
SOME MAY FIND THE SCENES A LITTLE UPSETTING.

This vid was hard to watch.

The man was so abused by these screws who held him down, one banging him on the side, whilst all along he pleaded with them as he couldn't breathe. Now I know prisoners can make things up, but this man was definitely not. The cruel and hard way he was thrown around, hosed down whilst on the floor and left alone in his cell whilst saying he couldn't breathe was nothing short of abuse.

He died and I hold the screws and nurse a contributing factor to his death.

He was having an asthma attack by the sounds of it, and a panic attack on top of it. Being held down on his chest would've constricted his lungs therefore hard to breath, he needed oxygen and should've been taken to hospital incase it was anything worse.

Im sad this man died, and disgusted the way he was treated.

Spot on magic. He was very obviously in distress and not one person stepped forward and assisted him or took him seriously.

I hope this video goes viral and something is done.

Yes, his family deserve justice, he deserves justice.

6 men held him down, arms behind his back, one kneeing him in the side. others on top, and then sprayed with pepper, what for?  All he kept saying was please I cant breathe, over again.  There was nothing threatening in his word,or his actions.  They all ran and jumped on top of him and then dragged him into the showers where he is still saying he couldn't breathe.  

I feel so sad for this man, he did nothing to deserve this barbaric, humiliating, disgusting behaviour which was dished out to him.

He died alone, and distressed no doubt in a bloody cell. Heads should roll for this

eddie wrote:Jules whilst I agree,

this man wasn't showing any signs of violence or aggression.

I see. Thanks for that info, eddie. You can tell I did not watch it before I commented. I assumed he was struggling.

I would not click on a vid  of this nature. I cannot bear to see anyone take their last breath on this earth, not even criminals, let alone innocent people.  I never watch killings, political assassinations etc. I just don't want to see that sort of thing on my monitor.

Syl wrote:It was very hard to watch...and knowing the poor man died made it worse.

Jules, you are right, a cops job isn't easy, it's dangerous and anyone can turn violent unexpectedly, so obviously they have to be on their guard. Having said that, the way those cops piled onto an unarmed man who was trying to comply to their orders, and  was obviously having serious health issues.....and then even when he was on the floor helpless, they sprayed him with some chemical that would have made his breathing even harder.....it was unforgivable.

Wow it's sounding more and more like a video made to illustrate how NOT to restrain people!
They are highly trained and should've followed official guidelines -
-and that also includes having resuscitation equipment ready.
The guy seems very bulky and it's well known that overweight people are vulnerable to heart attacks when roughly handled like this.
I still won't watch  the vid.

I appreciate your concerns Jules and as you dont wish to watch it I'll try my best to explain it without upsetting you:

Sabbie was approached as leaned on a wall in a communal area, after being asked to go back to his cell he stated clearly and in obvious distress that he couldn't breathe.  He looked ill as he began to wander off - the guard pulled him around and then shouted for help although Sabbie was hardly in a fit state to fight as he only repeated the words "I can't breathe".
A few officers piled in him and pepper-sprayed his face even though by now, he was begging "Please....please...I can't breathe"
They threw him in a shower to "wash off the pepper spray" but still told him he'd get sprayed again..?
A doctor saw him and simply just seemed to look him over and obviously thought he was okay even though he couldn't walk without being held and just repeated about his breathing.
He was put in cell and through the window you could see he looked really unwell.
He was found dead the next morning "cold to the touch".

Not one person could see what all of us here on this thread could see simply by watching the vid: the man was obviously seriously ill.

That's sad!  The police sometimes forget that they have a duty of care to all people in custody, and some of whom have mental problems, that's how they end up in custody in the first place.


One of the worst cases I've heard of,  was the death of a former paratrooper,  a proud veteran who had seen active service in the falklands and northern ireland. He had some post traumatic mental issues but like many army veterans, he had successfully moved on to a different career.


He was strangulated by the cops. The catalogue of incompetence and cruelty, will make your vid look like a teddy bear's picnic. They even deliberately gave the wrong body to the relatives for burial, forcing them to endure two funerals.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Christopher_Alder

Laters, eddie. x

Wow. That's some story!

Jules wrote:That's sad!  The police sometimes forget that they have a duty of care to all people in custody, and some of whom have mental problems, that's how they end up in custody in the first place.


One of the worst cases I've heard of,  was the death of a former paratrooper,  a proud veteran who had seen active service in the falklands and northern ireland. He had some post traumatic mental issues but like many army veterans, he had successfully moved on to a different career.


He was strangulated by the cops. The catalogue of incompetence and cruelty, will make your vid look like a teddy bear's picnic. They even deliberately gave the wrong body to the relatives for burial, forcing them to endure two funerals.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Christopher_Alder

Laters, eddie. x

That's disgusting, as they treat all prisoners like scum, and rarely get done for it. Bully boys.