Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Police Sedation Practice Left Dozens Of Detainees Dead, Investigation Finds
AP: Dozens Of Deaths Reveal Risks Of Sedating People Restrained By Police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the nation over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found. Based on thousands of pages of law enforcement and medical records and videos of dozens of incidents, the investigation shows how a strategy intended to reduce violence and save lives has resulted in some avoidable deaths. (Foley, Johnson and Lum, 4/26)
AP: At Least 16 People Died In California After Medics Injected Sedatives During Encounters With Police
At least 16 people died in California over a decade following a physical encounter with police during which medical personnel also injected them with a powerful sedative, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found. Several of the deaths happened in the San Francisco Bay Area, including two in recent years involving people restrained by the Richmond Police Department. Other places with cases included Los Angeles, San Diego and cities in Orange and San Bernardino counties. (Foley and Johnson, 4/26)
AP: At Least 15 People Died In Texas After Medics Injected Sedatives During Encounters With Police
At least 15 people died in Texas over a decade following a physical encounter with police during which medical personnel also injected them with a powerful sedative, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found. Several of the fatal incidents occurred in Dallas and its nearby suburbs. Other cases were documented across the state, from Odessa to Austin to Galveston. (Foley and Johnson, 4/26)
In related news —
Reuters: Colorado Paramedic Sentenced To 14 Months Of Work Release In Elijah McClain's Death
A Colorado judge on Friday sentenced a paramedic convicted in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain to 14 months in a work-release program and four years of probation. The Black 23-year-old died after police slammed him to the ground soon after stopping him and put him in a chokehold at least twice. Paramedics injected him with an excessive dose of ketamine, an anesthetic used for sedation, after police said he was in a state of "excited delirium." McClain was not suspected of wrongdoing when he was walking on the street and police stopped him. (Brooks, 4/27)
