Turkish national dead in police custody suffered 'ventral plating,' shows CCTV footage

By Anadolu Agency Staff

PARIS (AA) - A Turkish national suspect who died from an alleged heart rhythm disorder at a police station in northeastern France last January appears to have been a victim of "ventral plating" which led to asphyxiation, according to CCTV footage exclusively obtained by Anadolu Agency.

Merter Keskin, 35, died on Jan. 12 - 13 while in police custody at the police station in the commune of Selestat. Images from a surveillance camera in his cell showed he was handcuffed and tackled by police who used a technique known as "ventral plating," which has proven fatal in at least three cases.

Police have been accused of using the technique in the deaths of Cedric Chouviat, Adama Traore, and Mohamed Gabsi. Chouviat's family had appealed to the interior minister in 2020 to prohibit police from using the technique while handling suspects.

It is used to immobilize a suspect and involves pressing down and keeping a suspect's belly on the ground, head turned to the side and handcuffed at the back.

In the US, police used the same technique on George Floyd, whose death sparked global protests.

In Keskin’s case, an officer is seen crushing him with his knee and is later joined by two other policemen who try to immobilize him.

Police continued to overpower him flat on his stomach, while he was handcuffed for more than three minutes. He was declared dead after emergency services intervened at 5 a.m. local time (0300GMT).

According to medical files seen by the Anadolu Agency, the medical examiner noted "a moderate asphyxiation syndrome," and the autopsy revealed cyanosis in his arms, head, and neck suggesting that the level of oxygen in his blood may have been low, resulting in an abnormally bluish coloring of the skin.

The death certificate concludes that he suffered "cardio-respiratory arrest."

Keskin was arrested Jan. 12 after trying to flee on charges of domestic violence. He complained of chest pain twice but was never taken to a hospital.

He died hours later in his cell. Initial findings determined the cause of his death to have been a "heart rhythm disorder."

An investigation by the Strasbourg judicial police and General Inspectorate of the National Police is underway to determine the cause of death.