Police and tasers: The death of Dalian Atkinson
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 21 July 2021
⏱️ 32 minutes
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Summary
Five years ago, the death of an ex-footballer in the Midlands town of Telford made headlines. Last month, the officer who unlawfully killed Dalian Atkinson by tasering him to the ground and kicking him in the head, has been jailed for eight years. What does this case tell us about how police de-escalate difficult situations, particularly for those involving someone experiencing a mental health crisis?
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Transcript
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| 0:28.8 | for Sunday's online only. |
| 0:34.6 | This is the story of how a death in the Midlands Town of Telford five years ago |
| 0:39.6 | led to a highly unusual decision. This verdict just in this has been a long-running |
| 0:45.8 | investigation. This has culminated in the conviction for manslaughter of a serving |
| 0:52.0 | Westminster's Police Officer, PC Benjamin Monk. |
| 0:55.2 | Last month, Monk became the first police officer to be convicted for killing a person in the |
| 1:00.3 | line of duty in over 30 years. It raises really serious issues about police use of force |
| 1:07.5 | and the use of taser in particular. As well as how police de-escalate |
| 1:12.8 | hugely difficult situations, particularly in cases of those of us with mental health issues. |
| 1:20.4 | You're listening to stories of our times and the times and the Sunday times. |
| 1:23.6 | I'm David Aronovich. Today, police and tasers, the death of Dalyan Atkinson. |
| 1:37.4 | Before we begin, a warning. Today's episode contains descriptions of violence involved in |
| 1:43.1 | a man's death, which some listeners may find distressing. Ask football fans of a certain age |
| 1:50.1 | about Dalyan Atkinson and they'll recall a player of amazing talent who illuminated the game |
| 1:56.3 | back in the 90s. As the former Liverpool player Alan Hanson put it on match of the day one evening. |
| 2:02.5 | He's got it all. It's going to get potential too. It can be whatever he wants to be. |
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