Aruban Mitch Henriquez’s violent death by Dutch police

This video, recorded on Aruba, says about itself (translated):

Burial of Mitch Henriquez

9 July 2015

“All policemen involved in this, not just the five who jumped on top of Mitch, should be punished.” This said cousin Astrid Everon-Jacopucci just after the burial of Mitch Henriquez on Thursday.

Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands:

Mitch Henriquez was ‘abused enormously’ by police

5 November 2015, 23:53

The Aruban Mitch Henriquez, who died in June by police brutality, had suffered during his arrest inter alia a fractured larynx. This says, according to the lawyer of Henriquez‘ relatives, the investigation report by the National Police, which has been sent to the public prosecution. Lawyer Gerald Roethof has seen the report and told about it in the Pauw TV show.

Henriquez was ‘abused enormously’ according to him. Apart from a fractured larynx as a result of a chokehold the Aruban had hematomas on his temple, his nose and his genitals. He also had two broken ribs, but that may also have been caused, according to the lawyer, by attempts to resuscitate him.

…

The five officers who are suspected by the prosecution may await trial in freedom. That may take a very long time according to Roethof. “The prosecutor chooses not to sue the officers and to cross-examine them in a public hearing with witnesses. No, the lawyers of the policemen can first submit their investigation preferences to an investigating judge, and only if they are implemented, then we will be able to continue. ”

Roethof says there are so many witnesses that this approach will take two or three years before the case can be dealt with. “I do not understand that the public prosecutor leaves the family in uncertainty for so long. This I have never seen in a case of violent death.”

Violence monopoly

If the violence would not have been by police, but by private security guards, then the suspects would have been arrested long ago, Roethof says. They would have had to wait for their trial in detention, he said. They would also have been prosecuted at least for manslaughter. Now the officers are suspected of assault causing death. That is a less serious crime.

The lawyer acknowledges that police are treated differently because police have the monopoly of force in society. “But a monopoly on violence also creates extra responsibilities. You should be cautious practicing it. I can see no way why it had to happen this way.”