Five police not prosecuted over man's death in Beijing

Beijing prosecutors said Friday they will not prosecute five police personnel over a man's death in May.

The five, station deputy head Xing, a policeman and three other security personnel, had committed improper acts in their work, which led to the death of a man surnamed Lei and they did not promptly call for help when Lei appeared ill, according to Fengtai District People's Procuratorate.

On the evening of May 7, when Lei left a massage house in Changping District after engaging in commercial sex, the five attempted to take him in for questioning.

Lei struggled but was put into a car. When Lei attempted to jump out of the car he was handcuffed. He then appeared to be paralyzed and stopped shouting. He was declared dead at hospital the same night, having choked on his own vomit.

The police action amounted to negligence, but they were working in accordance with a special campaign, under the instructions of their superiors and Lei had resisted arrest.

Criminal action was minor and the five pleaded guilty, so the procuratorate decided not to prosecute them.

The procuratorate advised that the five be seriously dealt with by discipline organs. Endi