Mortality associated with the use of upper-body control holds by police

A review of police records for the nine-year period from 1974 to 1982 identified 20 men who died following restraint by an upper-body control hold while in the custody of a large, urban police department. Using evidence from autopsy findings and police reports of events immediately preceding death, we concluded that control-hold use was associated with death in 19 of the 20 cases. This investigation points to three factors potentially associated with control hold-related death that deserve further investigation: Phencyclidine (PCP) use, sickle cell trait, and stress-related arrhythmias in the heart. PCP was detected in blood or other tissues from 6 of 17 decedents tested. Intravascular red blood cell sickling was found at autopsy in 4 of 14 black decedents (29%). Four decedents had some indication of cardiovascular abnormalities.