Landmark in the black service user movement
In a year which also marks the 10^th anniversary of the Stephen Laurence Inquiry, human rights groups, church leaders, community activists, journalists, well wishers and supporters of the family's campaign for justice, will all be in attendance, at this event, as it is a significant landmark in the African Caribbean service user movement.

Roger Sylvester died after he was restrained by a team of eight police officers on a psychiatric unit at St Anne's hospital, Haringey.

The high profile inquest following Sylvester's death again raised questions over the competency of police officers when dealing with often vulnerable black patients who use mental health services.

The Sylvester family have been campaigning for justice on the sad loss of their loved one for ten years.
Roger's cousin, Victor Sylvester  told Black Mental Health UK ‘It's unfortunate that when a death occurs in custody that the system does its best to protect those involved in the incident rather ensuring that there is full accountability and  people are made to take responsibility for their actions.'

On the night of his death Sylvester was reported to have been about to take a bath. It is still a mystery to the family as to how he came to be outside the house, without any clothes on, but the family believed that he went to answer the door and then got locked out.  Neighbours reported a man with no clothes on in the street and the police were called.

Two police officers initially attended the scene, they called for backup and another six officers arrived. Roger was then restrained, handcuffed and, according to police officers, carried face up to a police van and taken to the emergency psychiatric unit at St Anne's hospital, Haringey.

Lestor Holloway, editor of Briton's leading black newspaper, the New Nation, reported on the case at the time.  He told Black Mental Health UK : ‘two neighbours testified that Roger Sylvester did not put up a fight when he was arrested, whereas the police said that he fought them in the street, so there 100%  difference in what the police said and what neighbours testified in court'.

Restrained by team of eight officers

At the hospital he was taken to room 136, for emergency psychiatric cases, where up to eight police officers continued to restrain Roger (who was still handcuffed) for over twenty minutes. Roger collapsed and stopped breathing, then was resuscitated but was in a coma.
He died seven days later in the Whittington hospital without regaining consciousness on 17^th January 1999.

The BBC reported that 46 people died in police custody or following contact with the police, that year and that   Mr Sylvester was one of eight black men to die in 1999. 

The jury found that Roger died from brain damage and cardiac arrest and although he had been 'lawfully detained' under the Mental Health Act, 'more force was used than was reasonably necessary causing a significant contribution to the adverse consequences of restraint'.
They also found that Roger had been held in the restraint position too long, there was a lack of medical attention and no attempt was made to alter the position of restraint.

‘There is questions as to why medical staff are happy to leave a patient in the care of eight  police officers and  nobody else, I heard  the testimonies of medical staff at the time who said that they vaguely saw that he was being restrained by nobody took the care to step inside the room to see what was happening. It was entirely down to the police officers when he fell into a coma,' Holloway said.

Unlawful killing

It took the family four years to get an inquest into Sylvester's death.  In 2003 an Inquest ruled that he had been unlawfully killed. However a year later, this judgment was quashed a by a High Court judge.

Two years later in 2005, the Crown Prosecution Service announced there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against the eight police officers.

‘The jury found that Roger Sylvester  had found the been unlawfully killed  having seen  and heard all the evidence, from the police and all other witnesses,  but this  verdict was overturned by a high court judge who did not hear the evidence of the police or other witnesses.  This ruling effectively meant that nobody was disciplined, sacked or would face criminal proceedings because the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) effectively ruled that no one did anything wrong' Holloway said.

‘The Sylvester family have done everything by the book they have been composed and dignified  throughout their 10 year battle for justice,  but despite this they have not been treated fairly,' Holloway added.

‘When someone dies in police custody is treated as an industrial accident, and the media are encouraged not to cover it and told that it is in the interests of community relations. ut the family wanted this memorial as ten years is a long time. Our campaign has been to fight for the rights of those who die in custody, because  although their voices can no longer be heard  the injustices  surrounding the deaths remain unaddressed, so we are the ones to speak for them', Victor Sylvester told Black Mental Health UK.  

Resolved to continue in their pursuit of justice, Sylvester's family are reported to be preparing to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

The special  memorial services marking the 10^th anniversary of the death of Roger Sylvester will be held at Finsbury Park Methodist Church, Wilberforce Road, London N4 on Sunday 18^th January 2009 at 4.00pm.

 Visit the Roger Sylvester Campaign for Justice website for more information.