An investigation has cleared two police officers of misconduct over the death of a mentally ill south Auckland man who died after being pepper-sprayed.
Henry Bailey, 42, died of a heart attack on February 5 last year after being hit with a baton and pepper-sprayed when he confronted two police constables outside his Mangere home.
As the officers began to handcuff him, they became worried he was not breathing and performed CPR.
An ambulance was called but Mr Bailey could not be revived.
Independent Police Conduct Authority chairwoman Justice Lowell Goddard released a report today which concluded there was no evidence of police misconduct or neglect of duties.
"The officers were justified in attempting to arrest Mr Bailey and in using sufficient force to overcome his resistance," the report said.
"Officer A did not apply a carotid hold and, in view of the pathologist's finding that 'it is [only] a remote possibility that the occlusion of the mouth contributed to death', the authority is satisfied that Officer A occasioned no deliberate harm to Mr Bailey."
Mr Bailey had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was taking medication, administered by a nurse each night.
- NZPA
Investigation clears police in man's death
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