Cops cleared in Koh death
Wed, November 8, 2006
By KATE DUBINSKI, FREE PRESS REPORTE
Three London police officers have been cleared of wrongdoing in the death of a promising martial arts expert whose organs failed a week after his arrest.
The Special Investigations Unit, Ontario’s police watchdog, was called after Mitchell Koh, 34, died eight days after being arrested by police Sept. 12 and subsequently being admitted to hospital for doing drugs.
An inquest may be held to determine exactly how Koh died, an SIU spokesperson said yesterday, but that could not be confirmed at press time.
Koh, an accomplished taekwondo black belt, was also an aspiring actor, with roles in the 1996 movie Expect No Mercy, starring well-known martial artist Billy Blanks. Koh also had an uncredited part in the film Serendipity.
“He lived his life as a kind and caring person who had an eccentric personality,” Koh’s younger sister, Mary, said in an online eulogy for her brother. “I want to be very clear about something. I am proud of the life Mitch lived. How much he accomplished, how hard he tried.”
The SIU report says two police officers went to a Southdale Road convenience store about 6 a.m. on Sept. 12 after a report of a man waving a stick and two knives inside.
The officers drew their guns and went into the store, the SIU report says.
“They identified themselves as police officers and ordered Mr. Koh to drop the knives and get on the ground. He immediately complied,” the SIU report reads. “They approached Mr. Koh, who was face down, to handcuff him.”
Koh then refused to give the officer his hand.
“The officers told Mr. Koh to stop resisting and delivered several knee strikes as he continued to struggle,” the SIU reports.
Another officer arrived, and Koh continued to struggle, thrashing about and kicking after being put in the police cruiser.
One of the officers thought Koh showed signs of excited delirium and needed medical help. He was taken to hospital.
Excited delirium is a condition often exhibited by drug users – usually cocaine or methamphetamines – characterized by agitation.
Passive for a time, Koh became violent again as he waited for a stretcher, yelling and kicking medical staff until they restrained him, the SIU report says.
Eight days later, Koh died from complete organ failure.
“The officers were involved in a prolonged and violent struggle to try to arrest and control this man,” said SIU director James Cornish.
“Many of the officers appear to have been trained to observe and recognize the symptoms of excited delirium and indeed they acted promptly to ensure Mr. Koh was taken to the hospital for treatment. It will be up to other processes to determine the exact cause of Mr. Koh’s demise.”
There’s no indication that Koh was tasered, SIU spokesperson Rose Bliss said. “An inquest may be held. You will have to confirm that with the coroner,” Bliss said.
Family members contacted yesterday said they didn’t know about the SIU findings.
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