Cops not prosecuted for man's death during Waddinxveen arrest

Paul Selier's death after being arrested in Waddinxveen last year, was not caused by the actions of the police officers who arrested him, the Public Prosecutor concluded after investigation. The police officers will therefore not be prosecuted. Selier's family was informed and accept this decision, their lawyer Richard Korver said to RTL Nieuws.

The 39-year-old man was arrested in February last year, after he showed "disturbed" behavior on a public street. The man resisted arrest, after which the officers restrained and handcuffed him. At that moment the man became unwell and he died a short time later.

A video recorded by an eyewitness seemed to show one police officer repeatedly punching the man. According to RTL, this was to create so-called painful stimuli, something officers do to ensure a person violently resisting arrest can no longer tighten their muscles so that they can be handcuffed.

Investigation into Selier's death showed that he had cocaine in his system. He had multiple bruises and scrapes, but they did not cause his death. No indications were found of violence to the man's neck and he had no broken bones.

According to the Public Prosecutor, the man's death was not caused by the police officers. At the request of his family, the Public Prosecutor will not make any statements about Selier's cause of death.